Return of the Wolverines
by The SOC Puppet
Summary: The stage has been set. The Clans are coming. Join the Wolverines as they fight to defend the Inner Sphere from Kerensky's Children.
1. Prologue Part 1: Rock and a Hard Place

Return of the Wolverines

By Silver Eagle

Prologue Part 1: Rock and a Hard Place 

December 29, 2823

Commanding Officer's Quarters

Black Lion-class Battlecruiser SLS _Palomar_

Zenith Jump Point

Uncharted Star System MGC-43-33528

Spinward of the Caliban Nebula, Deep Periphery

          "I have the final report, Ma'am." 

Khan Sarah McEvedy of Clan Wolverine looked up to see her aide, James Gunnarson, standing at the entrance to her quarters. He looked as haggard as she felt; the grief and exhaustion of the last few months was catching up to them all as much as the tense pressure of escape.

          "Come in, Commander."

          "Do you want the bad news first, or the good news?" Gunnarson motioned toward her with his datapad, slumping into the chair across the desk. Even had she been at her best mental condition, Sarah would not have begrudged him the moment of missed decorum. Salutes didn't seem important; not now, maybe never. _Morale, though…that we still need_.

          "It can't get any worse, James. Might as well give me the worst of it now." He nodded, punching up the first of the files.

          "You know the news pretty well already, so I'll finish quick. Alpha, Beta, and probably most of Gamma Galaxy are gone. We know saKhan Hallis is definitely dead; Kerensky and his goons obviously weren't taking prisoners. Delta's still missing, but they were the ones we sent on the scavenging missions, so that's within operational parameters for now." The question of how long they could afford to wait for the missing Galaxies of Wolverines hung gingerly in the air, unanswered. Neither of them wanted to contemplate the possibilities.

          "Epsilon's a wash; they took a lot of damage, and the last time anyone saw them, they'd drifted close to the Ghost Bear enclave on Arcadia. I don't hold out too much hope for seeing them again. The Bears wouldn't be stupid enough to risk the wrath of the Grand Council, especially now.

          "We've picked up all the stragglers we could find, and some from other Clans' Bandit Castes, but their military value at this point is suspect. We're keeping an eye on them.

          "All told, front-line forces were trashed. If all of Delta and what was left of Epsilon return, based on what we've got here, we'll be at about 30, maybe 35% effectiveness, machine-wise. Second-line troops are in better shape; Franklin got everyone organized in enough time to make the escape in good order. They're at 75% effectiveness. Casualties are running high, so we'll be short of pilots for quite awhile." He tossed the datapad on the desk, finished with the grisly butcher's bill. 

          Bitter laughter broke the brief moment of silence. "Well, the Little Prince wanted a unified society. Now he's got one. All he had to do was destroy the opposition, and I walked straight into the trap. Told Franklin Hallis he should have done it instead of me, and look where we are now." _Damn you, Nicholas Kerensky. Damn you to hell. My friends and family alike, dead on Circe by the tens of thousands, and for what? Your father's little Star League in Exile? That dream died before it was even born._

          James Gunnarson cleared his throat. "I assume you still want to hear the good news?"

          "What little there is? Sure. I could use something to defray the guilt a bit longer."

          Gunnarson shrugged. The Khan certainly looked as if she needed something to snap her out of her funk. "Everyone else is doing as well as could be expected. We lost some civilians, as expected- the slower transports didn't make it away from Circe, and we missed evacuating a bunch of cities anyway. With the exception of those two or three ships, we've got over 70,000 civilian survivors. They're packed in tight on the two _Potemkins_. Most importantly, we got the entire scientist cadre safely offworld, along with the contents of our genetic repository. If Delta and Epsilon get here, the stuff from the 331st's Brian Cache will really help us get back on track, and they're sure to have civilian survivors of their own.

          "Now, there's still the question of what we're going to do with the stuff we took from the Ravens' repository, and whether we'll integrate it into our gene pool. I assume the scientists will turn their proposals over to you when they get through discussing the matter. Any ideas, Ma'am?"

          McEvedy shuddered. Vat-grown warriors? Scarcely forty years after Exodus, and that was what they'd been reduced to. Creating legions of mindless little soldiers, waiting to be indoctrinated in the ways of that twisted, power-mad tyrant. Practically enslaving everyone other than warriors, glorifying the soldier over his subjects. And now, there might be no other choice for them…

          "No choice. Can't go back to Kerensky, and I'm not forcing our people to breed like animals to make up the manpower differential. The iron wombs could be the only things that keep us going. God only knows how many children will be born naturally before we get back to wherever we're going."

          "Where we're going, indeed…has there been a decision yet, Sarah- I mean, Ma'am?" She waved his hasty apology away.

          "Forget it, James. This is no time for decorum. Guess I need to be reminded that I'm as human as anyone else. Standing in that damn Council chamber, it completely slipped my mind that we could be driven this far."

          "We're all behind you, Sarah; what's left of us are, anyway. You know that." His voice was low, but it burned with an intensity that surprised her, given the circumstances. "None of us would have come this far if we didn't think the same way you did. SaKhan Hallis understood that too. That's why he stayed behind on Circe to buy the rest of us time to get away. Fall prey to your misgivings now, and you devalue everything he tried to accomplish."

          A sigh, a puff of exasperated breath, was all she could muster for some time, leaning back in her chair. Memories of Franklin Hallis swirled up before Sarah as her eyes closed; the pride and elation he'd shown the day he became saKhan, the Clan's first victory in the Exodus Civil War, and the look in his eyes as he'd seen her off, before her last trip to Strana Mechty. _He must have known then that we'd never meet again. But that was Franklin; never even blinked an eye, even when he was staring death in the face._

"I know. Problem is, we don't have many options left. Old General Kerensky was right about one thing- we can't go back to the Inner Sphere like this. The lure of what technology we'd bring to the Successor States would be too strong. On the other hand, we don't have nearly enough supplies to go haring off on our own, looking for an entirely different set of worlds.

          "No. For now, all we can do is wait for Roberta and Kieran to get back, and see what we can come up with." Galaxy Commanders Roberta Sutherland of Delta and Kieran Winthrop of Epsilon were all that remained of the Wolverine military braintrust, but even they'd be in for a surprise once they got to the rendezvous point. Her plans were radical, but so were the times.

          The times of the caste system, at least for the Wolverines, were over. The potential for conflict on the journey to wherever they might end up was too great to ignore an obvious catalyst for violence like class distinctions. Something had to be done, both to stabilize the Clan and prepare it for the long days ahead, to decide to continue the fight or find a new purpose.

          Thinking that far was beyond her right now. Lowering the chair to eye level with Gunnarson, she reached into the desk and pulled out a snifter of Scotch, two shot glasses accompanying it.

          "Actually, James, I do have one last optional order for you tonight. I am about to get stinking drunk while I remember Franklin Hallis and all of the people we left behind. I'd prefer to have company while I do."

          James Gunnarson's smile was wistful, unspoken grief overlaying it. His father Darren had been the commander of destroyed Beta Galaxy. "Pour away, Ma'am."

          She raised her glass to the light, the brown liquid within swirling about. "To Franklin Hallis, Darren Gunnarson, Lamont Pike, and the rest of the Wolverines on Circe. Their sacrifice will be remembered among us forever." Gunnarson echoed the toast.

          "To Roberta Sutherland, Kieran Winthrop, and the hardy souls of Delta and Epsilon Galaxies. Let their journey to our side be swift and unhindered."

          "Amen." She tossed back her drink, the alcohol burning her throat as it coursed down within. _And may God have mercy on our souls_. It was the last coherent thought she intended to have for a while.

January 5, 2824

Commanding Officer's Quarters

Black Lion-class Battlecruiser SLS _Palomar_

Zenith Jump Point

Uncharted Star System MGC-43-33528

Spinward of the Caliban Nebula, Deep Periphery

          "Khan McEvedy to the bridge. Repeat, Khan McEvedy to the bridge." Captain Minato Takayama's voice crackled over the speaker in Sarah's quarters, diverting the Khan's attention from the status reports on her desk. _Sounds urgent_. Rising in a fluid motion, she grabbed her sidearm and holstered it, then walked out to the elevator.

          Warning klaxons greeted Sarah as the door to the bridge slid open before her. An ensign at her duty station caught sight of the Khan and rose to attention.

          "Khan on deck!" The bridge crew made to rise as one and salute their Khan, who nodded and waved them down. "As you were." As the crew relaxed, Sarah proceeded over to the holotank in the center of the deck. Captain Takayama and James Gunnarson awaited her, their postures a picture of tense unease.

          "What's the problem, Captain?" The skipper of the _Palomar_ nodded to a new jump signature forming at the uncharted system's nadir jump point.

          "That's a pretty big jump signature, Ma'am. Delta and Epsilon Galaxies have _Invader_ JumpShips; those don't correspond to a signature that size. Without an IFF signal to identify who it is…" She shrugged. "I don't think we can afford to take any chances. CAP is standing by, waiting for your orders."

          James Gunnarson studied the anomalous reading with care before he responded. "I tend to agree with Captain Takayama, Ma'am. At worst, it couldn't hurt to be prepared. If it really is Roberta and Kieran, we'll have a nice honor guard to welcome them back."

          "You're the naval expert, Captain. Proceed, but do it carefully." The Khan's orders issued, Minato Takayama nodded and barked out an order to her executive officer.

          "Aff. Jasna! Tell the CAG to scramble two Stars, but no more. Keep the rest of the Battle Group's fighters ready to launch in case those ships aren't ours."

          Twenty little dots encircled the _Palomar_ briefly, two Stars' worth of _Rapier_ escort fighters boosting into the void. As they shot off towards the nadir jump point, the jump trace abruptly solidified into a Battle Group nearly matching the size of their own. Four large green dots, representing WarShips, stared the Khan in the face, accompanied by several large, heavily laden JumpShips. Sarah turned to her aide.

          "Any word on IFF?" James Gunnarson shook his head, silent. Naval warfare had never been his specialty. A whoop from outside the holotank startled both of them, the _Palomar_'ssensor officer leaping up from her station.

          "They're ours! I'm reading three _Aegis_ cruisers, and…Jesus…H…Christ…" As the young tech trailed off, Gunnarson reached for his datapad, one eyebrow raised.

          "I wasn't aware we had a WarShip named for Him." Minato Takayama fixed him with a disgusted look, pointing to the vessel at the head of the new group.

          "Look closer, Commander."

          Sarah glanced at the intricate movement and ID data surrounding the sensor trace; 3 dots marked AGS surrounded one marked with a… _TXS? It can't be…_

          "You've got to be kidding me. Of all the ships to show up in, they chose _that_ one? This is either the biggest joke in the history of mankind, or the best news we've gotten in a while." James Gunnarson stared at his Khan as she mused.

          "Ma'am?"

          "Take a good look, James; she's a piece of history. Your father should have told you about her."

          He shrugged. "It's a _Texas_-class Battleship. So wha…oh, my GOD!"

          Minato Takayama, and indeed most of the bridge crew of the _Palomar_, was struggling to keep a straight face, as was Sarah herself. _It's totally inappropriate, but we need a good laugh right now._

          As they finally succumbed to their mirth, the SLS _Prinz Eugen_, its crew oblivious to the welcome shot of humor they'd provided their brethren, continued on its way…

AUTHOR NOTES:

-This story is also available on Solaris7.com, but given that they're sometimes down (and their story area is hard to navigate) I thought I'd also put it on fanfiction.net.

-As for those who will inevitably complain about me including the _Prinz Eugen_, I'll try to stick as close to canon as possible, but until WK or FanPro give us all a concrete answer on what happened to the Wolverines, this is going to be an alternate universe. As such, I reserve the right to screw around with it (within reason). Seriously, though, comments on continuity are always welcome. Just keep your flames to yourself.


	2. Prologue Part 2: Dancing With Dragons

Return of the Wolverines

By Silver Eagle

Prologue Part 2: Dancing With Dragons 

"All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us...they can't get away this time."  
- Lt Gen Lewis B. Puller, USMC 

January 5, 2824

Shuttle Bay 1

Texas-class Battleship SLS _Prinz Eugen_

Zenith Jump Point

Uncharted Star System MGC-43-33528

Spinward of the Caliban Nebula, Deep Periphery

          Sarah glanced about the shuttle bay as she disembarked from the _Palomar _Captain's Gig, followed by Minato Takayama and James Gunnarson. The _Prinz Eugen_ looked spotless, the grime of the years it had spent as an orbital prison for anti-Clan dissidents stripped away. Letting the battleship's techs minister to the shuttle, the Wolverine officers caught sight of two welcome figures striding over to greet them.

          Kieran Winthrop was the youngest Galaxy Commander in the Clan, born a year later than the departed Lamont Pike of Gamma Galaxy. The commander of Epsilon Galaxy looked unnaturally spry as he strolled over to meet his Khan. The blue caffeine patch stuck haphazardly on Winthrop's forearm answered her unspoken curiosity.

          Roberta Sutherland of Delta Galaxy had always been a stalwart soldier. Nearly twice as old as Sarah McEvedy, at 58, she'd been needled by some of the Clans about her age, until her Galaxy had steamrolled Nova Cats and Snow Ravens alike in Trials of Possession on Circe, just after the world had been retaken. The gray-haired woman leaned heavily on her fellow Galaxy Commander, left arm in a sling and pressure cast, but the grin on her face well outweighed the weariness in her step.

          The two Galaxy Commanders stopped before her; Winthrop saluted, and Sutherland bowed her head, unable to move her arm for fear of falling over. Waving off the formalities, the Khan clapped Kieran Winthrop on the shoulder. "It's good to see you both. Seems we're not totally out of the fight."

          Roberta Sutherland nodded. "Thank Kieran for that. If he and Epsilon hadn't shown up in the _Backstabber_, that last Brian Cache we hit probably would have been Delta's tomb."

          "_Backstabber_?" Winthrop grinned.

          "_Prinz Eugen_ just didn't seem real smart, Ma'am. If we ever meet up with Kerensky's people again, she'll only antagonize them. We know firsthand what can happen when those bastards get worked up.

          "She's clean as a whistle, fully reloaded, recrewed, and all systems are checked out. Roberta and I rechristened her on the way, and here we are."

          "Here, indeed. The question is where we go next, Sarah." Roberta Sutherland was one of the few people in the Clan who had both the right and the gumption to call the Khan simply by her first name, not that McEvedy would ever have begrudged her that privilege. The older woman was one of the last remaining links to the original 331st Royal BattleMech Division, commanded by Sarah's father, Colin McEvedy. _I wish I had better news for her._

          "I've spent so long just trying to get everyone away and safe that I haven't really thought about what we'd do afterward. We were waiting to discuss the matter with the two of you." Roberta glanced at her, eyebrow raised.

          "Colin never leapt into anything without at least a ghost of a plan; neither do you. Now spill it." Sarah looked over at James Gunnarson and Minato Takayama for a moment; she'd unveiled some of her plans to the two on their way over to the _Backstabber, and judging from the reactions of the two younger officers, Roberta and Kieran would be just as surprised, if not more so.__ Nobody ever said being a revolutionary would be easy._

          "Is there a conference room around here? You two better sit down for this."

******

          "Let me explain the situation. Kieran, Roberta, you two are the last two senior Galaxy Commanders we have left. With the addition of the _Backstabber and the cruisers, we have eight WarShips; one Texas battleship, a Black Lion battlecruiser, two Potemkin troop cruisers, the three Aegis cruisers, and a Bug-Eye scout ship. If we watch our ammunition closely, Captain Takayama and Fleet Command assure me that we'll reach our destination safe and sound without any supply problems." As Roberta Sutherland made to speak, Sarah raised a hand to forestall the inevitable question._

          "I don't think it's any secret that we're going back to the Inner Sphere. The news to you is that we might not be staying there."

          "The fastest route back to the Inner Sphere takes us to the coreward border of the Combine. The first inhabited world on the way is Svelvik; we can find out what's happened since we left. Based on that, we'll make a further decision on whether we can safely enter the Inner Sphere, or whether it's best to stay out and make our own home in the Periphery.

          "We obviously don't have a Star League to protect, but the Inner Sphere will tear itself apart if nobody's there to watch over it. The question boils down to how we do it- whether openly from within the Inner Sphere itself, or from outside, in the shadows. Myself, I believe that we may very well have to go it alone, from the outside looking in, interfering as necessary."

          "How can we be sure that the other castes will even go for that?" Winthrop sounded off from the back of the room. "I like a fight as well as anyone, but I was bred for it. Most of the Wolverines we have left never anticipated this situation. They just want to go home."

          The damnable thing was that he was perfectly correct. Dragging her wounded Clan into more needless fighting was the last thing she felt like doing. Nevertheless, the Successor States simply weren't cut out to have the kind of technology the SLDF had taken with them. To go "home" to the Inner Sphere would be to join that anarchy and lose the ideals of the Star League entirely, suborning them to the daily, single-minded battle for power and survival that was Successor State life. _I don't want to be like the Little Prince, but all the same, I can't just take them back to that madhouse._

          "Kieran," she sighed, "I'm not saying we have to fight. But we do have a duty to fulfill, and that's to protect the people of the Inner Sphere. That was the goal of the Star League Defense Force. I don't care if we are just one division out of thousands. It's still our job, and we're going to do it.

          "The fights won't all be on the battlefield; they'll be in the halls of power, the boardroom, even in a simple research laboratory. You all know your history. The Age of War, the Ares Conventions, Tintavel. Talk of peace and restraint means nothing to these people. How can anyone hope to bring about a better future for the common people if they're constantly worrying about simply staying alive instead?

          "The answer lies without. In our own enclaves, our people can be safe while they work on the technology and knowledge that will let us better protect both our own and the Inner Sphere. Whether that's from the Clans or themselves is a question for another day.

          "As for castes, the caste system is abolished, effective now. Anyone who wants to pick up a gun, fly a fighter, or climb into a 'Mech is free to do so, as long as they can prove they're not going to waste our resources and they won't shoot themselves in the foot. Those who don't are free to find another occupation that we'll honor just as equally."

          Winthrop was only slightly mollified. "I can understand the desire to protect them, but where are we supposed to find a home outside the Inner Sphere without attracting attention? General Kerensky was winging it and it still took a stroke of luck to find the Pentagon. We don't have that kind of time; can't even be sure that the Wolves aren't still pursuing us."

          "I can't say that we're in the clear." Crossing her arms, Sarah continued.  "But if the Ghost Bears let you go, they can't risk telling the Wolves where you went. My Battle Group was here for two weeks, and nobody came across us either. The thing now is to figure out where to go." She punched up a map on the console in front of her, and a starmap of the Inner Sphere, as it had been when they left in 2784, appeared in the center holoprojector.

          "We'll be able to update this map once we hit Svelvik, but the contents aren't important for now. What's important to me is the Periphery." Pointing to a tiny realm near the Draconis Combine and Federated Suns, she prepared to advance her plan. _Here goes nothing._

          "Over to the Outworlds Alliance. That's my goal for now. We can find a world that's close enough for us to get to their capital, Alpheratz, and influence the nation."

          Roberta Sutherland considered the realm that lay squeezed between two Successor States. "Why the Alliance? Wouldn't the Taurian Concordat or the Magistracy of Canopus be a better and safer fit?"

          "They could. I did consider them." Sarah conceded her mentor the point with a nod. "Both of those realms have their drawbacks. The Concordat is known for its anti-Star League leanings, and I doubt forty years of our absence has soothed their tempers any. The Magistracy is, well… they know how to throw a great party, but they really aren't much for war.

          "The Alliance has none of those worries. Because of the influence of the anti-technology Omniss faction, most of their worlds are agricultural and lightly defended. They're a peaceful people, which should be good for us in the first few years, while we settle down again and rebuild our technology base. Also, their military emphasis is on aerospace, which should let us flex some power without revealing too much Star League technology like 'Mechs. We'll seem like any other group of refugees."

          Minato Takayama looked suspiciously at the map; as head of Fleet Command, she was in charge of the lone arm of the Wolverine Touman that they couldn't afford to reveal to anyone else, Inner Sphere or Periphery. "What about our WarShips, then? We can't cart them along without attracting some attention."

          Sarah pointed at the expanse of empty space between the Alliance and the other major Periphery realms. "Most of the aerospace fighters and JumpShips will come with the civilians and injured. Meanwhile, the WarShips, some BattleMechs, and our ground troops will start the process of searching for a permanent homeworld outside of the Alliance, Concordat or Magistracy. Map what you can, and survey worlds to determine their viability. If you find any pirates, you have permission to eliminate them from orbit, if necessary. We don't need any more avoidable casualties."

          "Fair enough, Ma'am." Takayama looked positively euphoric about the prospect of blowing up a few bandit kingdoms.

          Sarah glanced about her, taking in both the enthusiasm and the unease. "I know this sounds a little crackpot. I have a hard time swallowing it myself. Get some rest and think it over before you decide. You'll be back in the saddle again once we hit the Combine."

September 29, 2825

Bridge Deck

Black Lion-class Battlecruiser SLS _Palomar_

Nadir Jump Point

Trondheim

Rasalhague Military District, Draconis Combine

          "All hands, battle stations. MechWarriors, prepare for drop and assault. Docking collars 1 through 4, initiate auto-release sequence." Sarah was oblivious to the chaos about her as Delta and Epsilon Galaxies began to drop down upon the world of Trondheim. Her mind was focused on other things; racked with turmoil.

          Four decades had not been kind to the Inner Sphere. Almost as soon as General Kerensky had taken his troops on the Exodus, the Successor States had begun duking it out. The Wolverines had expected as much. The scale of the devastation, though, was completely beyond their comprehension. That a war could have gone on for nearly the entire forty years they'd been away was stunning even to Roberta Sutherland.

          Their mood worsened once their Bug-Eye returned from Svelvik with intercepted holovid programs and documentaries from the "ComStar" network news, another new development. They read of House Kurita's unprovoked attack against the Eridani Light Horse on Sendai with dismay. Horror followed as they discovered the reason Commander Ezra Bradley had decided to leave the Combine. Thoughts of protecting the Combine had vanished that day. Two words summed up the mood of many as they dropped on Trondheim. _Remember Kentares. _

******

          James Gunnarson wrestled his neurohelmet on, connecting the leads on his MechWarrior's suit to the medpacks under his seat, and starting the LNC 25-01 _Lancelot's fusion engine. The computer flared to life, demanding his voice identification._

          "Commander James Gunnarson. Command Keshik, Clan Wolverine." Voiceprints served as the first step in unlocking the war machine for battle. The first of two green lights blinked to life on the HUD, as the computer continued.

          "Enter security passcode." Each MechWarrior programmed his own personal identification key into a 'Mech as the second step in unlocking it, usually some personal homily or private memory that another pilot could not possibly know, given that someone's voice was easy to record and play back to the computer.

          "_Sic Semper Tyrannis." Thus always to tyrants; yes, that did seem appropriate today, of all days. Given the chance to leave the __Palomar in command of a group of young recruits and displaced warriors from other units, he'd leaped at it. If the pitiful resistance they'd faced on Svelvik was any indication, the Combine was little more than a crumbling ruin. __Better call up those kami of yours, Jinjiro Kurita. You're going to need every last one to stop us from sending your ass to Hell. _

          "Sierra Battalion Leader to Delta One Lead. The reserves are buttoned up and ready to drop." Roberta Sutherland, in charge of this drop as she had been on Svelvik, responded with her usual curt acknowledgement.

          "Delta One Lead copies. Hang back for now, Sierra Lead. I want to gauge their strength before we commit to anything rash. Trondheim's a prefecture capital; Svelvik wasn't. Whoever they have stationed here will be tougher than the last batch."

          James snarled a silent curse. "Doesn't matter. We can roll 'em up."

          "That's precisely why I ordered you to hang back, Sierra Lead. Don't need any heroes today. We're getting in and getting out of this godforsaken system, to that slave pit on Richmond, and then we leave the Combine for good. The less time spent here, the better, and that means no righteous tirades. _Capisce?"_

          "Sierra Lead complies, Delta Lead." The words were meaningless. He knew what he had to do.

******

          Gunnarson's _Lancelot rocked again as a Kurita __Atlas fired its massive autocannon, shredding what armor remained on his 'Mech's left torso._

          "Unity!" Down a large laser, he was hurting, but four of the bastards had fallen to him, and his reserves had carved a huge hole in the 20th Rasalhague Regulars' main formation. It was the perfect opportunity for Delta and Epsilon Galaxies to exploit. _So where are they already? The fact that he had switched off his radio as soon as they'd advanced on the Kurita troops had long since slipped out of his enraged consciousness. Pivoting his torso, he circled the __Atlas again and let loose with his last PPC and large laser, carving a huge furrow in the assault 'Mech's rear armor and igniting the autocannon ammunition stored in its torso. Sweat beaded on his brow, as the heat in his cockpit soared into a sauna-like range. Hitting the override to cut off the computer-controlled shutdown, Gunnarson continued his mobile duel with the __Atlas. __Time to die, you stravag bastards!_

          Twenty klicks away in his _Black Knight, Galaxy Commander Kieran Winthrop cursed and kicked at the DCMS tank he'd just blown up, smashing in its already ruined turret._

          "Epsilon Two Lead to Delta One Lead. The Drac supplies here are loaded up and ready to go, but that flipping zealot Gunnarson's taken his reserves straight into the teeth of the Regulars. Do you want to pull him out, or shall we get going?" Roberta Sutherland's voice was strained, taut with frustration. She too had been running a mobile campaign while scavenging the area for supplies and information. The defection of their reserves meant that their escape would be that much more difficult.

          "Delta One Lead copies. Get your transports heading for the DropShips with an escort, and then get the rest of your people moving to meet me and finish the Regulars. Can't let those kids and the stragglers die just so Gunnarson can get his licks in. If he survives, I swear to God I'm going to have him strung up and shoved out a flipping airlock!"

******

          Heat surrounded him. No, an inferno. That was more appropriate. Hell beckoned the enemy. But why him? Better to suffuse that madman on Luthien, burn him to the bones in torment and repentance! And what was that incessant wailing in his ears? No matter. He was alive and fighting; it was of no consequence. Slapping absent-mindedly at the board in front of him, he smiled slightly as the wailing ceased. Yes, his attention was best served when placed on the fight. To deliver the punishment these fools so richly deserved.

A _Charger sped at him, looking to avenge the loss of its comrade in the __Atlas. __Ha! You pop-gun toting surat! He sidestepped and cut loose wildly with his large laser, backing away to begin circling the enemy 'Mech. __Missed, eh? You're faster than I thought. A hellish beam of manmade lightning crashed into the side of the assault 'Mech; his PPC had better accuracy now, it seemed. __I have you, you slithering serpent! You'll all burn! Burn, indeed, just as he was. Why was it so hot? No matter…it would all be over soon enough. __Soon enough… _

******

          Sarah turned away from the scene in the holotank in disgust. Two hours had passed since the disastrous assault on Trondheim, and the survivors were only now beginning to trickle back to their JumpShips and WarShips. Minato Takayama eyed her quizzically.

          "Something wrong, ovKhan? We got the supplies and trashed the Dracs. Three casualties out of two Galaxies is pretty light, considering the downtime."

          _Any casualty at all was a risk. James Gunnarson's last moments troubled her, and well as the potentially deadly consequences of her ex-aide's actions. __What a way to go, roasting himself alive in his own 'Mech. Not only do we lose an able fighter, now they have our technology. They know we're SLDF. She turned back to the head of Fleet Command. __This changes everything._

          "Kurita knows who and what we are, if he hadn't figured it out already. Send a message to the Delta and Epsilon DropShips. Reroute the _Niantic and the __Revenant to the __Palomar. I'm changing plans." __Damn that righteous-minded young pup!_

October 15, 2825

Dragon's Tears Rehabilitation Center and Work Camp

Nagahama Point

Richmond, Rasalhague Military District

Draconis Combine

          The MSK-7W _McKenna turned slowly, but soon enough the gates were within sight. __Rather delicious irony, this is… Sarah mused as she approached the Kurita prison and slave camp on Richmond, their final destination before they would make for the Outworlds Alliance. Her modified __Mackie had been a bit ungainly at first, after a year of rust, but things were running smoothly again._

          The chain-link fence parted like tissue paper as she lashed out with her 'Mech's foot. _It's not the gates of the Court of the Star League, but it'll do. Behind the Wolverine Khan, Epsilon Galaxy and Sierra Battalion were arrayed in an inverted V formation, awaiting the camp's defenders. She imagined Roberta Sutherland was doing much the same as she faced the DCMS on Jarett, thirty light years away._

          James Gunnarson's foolhardy death on Trondheim had sped up their timetable. Delta Galaxy had taken the _Aegis cruisers, plus most of the Clan's aerospace support, and headed straight for the supply bases on Jarett. Sarah had shepherded Epsilon and the remaining reserve forces on a more leisurely path to Richmond, to free the prisoners there and see if any were willing to join them. Human intelligence might be more reliable than anything they could intercept with the Bug-Eye. If all was going according to plan, Roberta was nearly finished with Jarett, and would soon be on her way to a meeting point coreward of the Combine border._

          Resistance had been light so far. The Combine itself might have been on high alert, but nobody was paying much attention to the fate of several thousand Unproductives. From the ComStar reports they'd picked up, most of the prisoners here were political. _Guess the Dragon would like us to take care of his problems for him. The buzzing of her radar's threat warning system ended that thought, indicating the approach of the rest of the camp's meager defenders._

          _Or maybe not… She trained her targeting reticle on a Maxim hover transport that was wending its way towards her, launching a spread of LRMs. The missiles crushed a few armor plates on her assault 'Mech's barrel chest, but did nothing to stop Sarah from pressing her trigger buttons. As the targeting sight flashed gold, indicating a lock, a silvery ball of metal whipped out from the gauss rifle in the __McKenna's right arm. At the same time, two lances of ruby light speared the hovertank, extended range medium lasers blowing a hole in the Maxim's turret. __Looks like most of the weapons work fine after a year's worth of rust…time to finish the job. She trained her sights on the Maxim, now trailing black smoke out the top, and cut loose with the rest of her weaponry. The DCMS craft vanished in a ball of plasma fire, as a PPC bolt blew its fusion engine to scrap._

          A rebel yell echoed over the general broadcast channel as another Wolverine scored a kill. Star Colonel Jake Walker, a tech-turned-warrior, had assumed command of the reserve forces by acclamation after nobody stepped forward to replace James Gunnarson. Already qualified as an aerospace pilot, Walker had noticed the lack of morale among the "strays," as he'd tagged his new troops, and switched into a BattleMech to lead by example. His white _Exterminator stood triumphantly over a Kurita __Jenner that had had its cockpit caved in with a single punch. Twisting his torso around quickly, he zeroed in on an enemy __Locust and let fly with a spread of ten LRMs. A few hit, chipping armor off the light 'Mech's stubby left wing, but most of the flight sailed wide._

          "These guys are sure eager to fight, for a bunch of slave-drivers." Walker sounded self-righteous, but the Khan chalked that up to his innate irreverence more than anything else. James Gunnarson's death had, thankfully, quieted most of the zealots.

          "Sure they're not a Chain Gang?" Kieran Winthrop's _Black Knight hung back from short-range combat, but his PPC and lasers were stabbing forth liberally at any DCMS unit that targeted him. "Stick anyone in a place like this and they might start believing what the ISF feeds them about getting a pardon for fighting."_

          "They could just be a disgraced unit, Kieran. You know Kurita; all that talk about honor and glory. They manage to take us down and save the camp, maybe they'll get back to the front lines." _Still, it bears looking into. "Why don't you see for yourself?"_

          "I think I will." His 'Mech turned towards the body of enemy troops and opened its arms.

          "DCMS troops! Stand down immediately or we will be forced to eliminate you. We are only here to rescue the prisoners in the work camp. We do not want any more casualties."

******

          "An interesting exchange, _Chu-sa. They do not seem so bad. Perhaps we should let them pass." __Chu-sa Goro Taniguchi said nothing as his unit discussed the raiders' broadcast. __Was it not enough of a disgrace already that I be assigned here? Now to have my own troops contemplate surrender? I must truly have done terrible things in another life to deserve this karma__._

          Yet there was no escaping the terrible logic of the situation. To fight these raiders would be futile, perhaps even for the Sword of Light regiments, let alone a ragtag militia. Dedicated to the Dragon he might be, but Goro Taniguchi did not presume to have the gall to waste DCMS resources. This was a hopeless battle for an objective they would lose anyway. But to let the enemy go was even more unforgivable. He had already been demoted from _Tai-sa and transferred for attempting to circumvent a superior's order that would have put his unit in needless danger. Taniguchi shuddered to think what would happen if he should fail here. __Is it my fate to join these Unproductives? __There must be a solution. _

          Suddenly, the way was clear. He stepped his _Warhammer forward; opening his radio to a general frequency, he activated his external speakers._

          "I do not know who you are, warriors, nor do I care. Know this. I am Taniguchi Goro, _Chu-sa and commander of the Richmond Provisional Militia. My family has served the Dragon for centuries, and I myself have been involved in countless battles on the Lyran and Davion fronts. You may take this facility, but you will have to destroy me first. Do not force my warriors to endure the shame of surrender. I may deserve it, but they do not._

          "Choose one of your number and we will duel, as in the days of the Hidden War."

          Backing his troops away, he awaited his imminent death. _It is not what I might have chosen for my end, but it is all that remains to me. _

******

          "Well, I can't say I'm surprised." Kieran sounded amused, but Sarah wasn't laughing.

          "You're taking this awfully lightly for someone in your position, Galaxy Commander. Need I remind you that the Dracs ended up winning the Hidden War?"

          "You can't be serious, Ma'am. This guy couldn't possibly be close to a Champion of House Kurita. I'm no Gunslinger, but I ain't Self-Scorching Gunnarson either. I can handle him."

          "My apologies, sir, but the position is already taken."

          "WHAT!?" They turned to see a steel-gray _Cestus marching out of Epsilon Galaxy's ranks, raising an arm in salute._

          "I accept your challenge, _Chu-sa. In this solemn battle, let no one interfere!"_

          Kieran Winthrop was livid. "Suarez, you flipping El Cid wannabe! That's my kill!" Star Captain Ramon Suarez continued moving toward the _Warhammer, unfazed._

          "Sir, your _Black Knight has 5 tons on him. He is already at enough of a disadvantage. My __Cestus gives up 5 tons to him; that ought to even things up a bit."_

          Winthrop's _Black Knight flexed its hands as though contemplating bodily harm, until Sarah marched up to her subordinate and booted him squarely in the behind, toppling the heavy 'Mech._

          "Drop it, Kieran. Star Captain Suarez is looking out for the Clan. We can't afford to lose a Galaxy Commander right now, no matter how hot-shit you may think you are. Star Captain, you may proceed. All Wolverine forces will stand down and let him work." Sarah chuckled to herself. _I think I may have found a replacement for James Gunnarson after all._

******

          El Cid? Perhaps that was appropriate. A duel between armored knights, just as _caballeros might have done thousands of years ago on old Terra. Certainly, Ramon Suarez had been reared on such tales of chivalry and glory. __He and I are not so different. He seeks to cleanse himself of shame before his death, just as I might choose to go out fighting if faced with a hopeless battle. Suarez felt a pang of regret as he approached his opponent. __He knows what it is to fight with honor. Is this not what we are trying to preserve and protect? It would be a waste to simply kill him. _

_I fear that question will have to wait until we are finished, though. _

          "I will count down from five, _Chu-sa, and then the duel shall begin. We will fight until one of us is incapacitated or dead. Is that acceptable?"_

          The _Warhammer simply bowed._

          "Very well. 5…4…3…2…1…Mark!" As the last word left his mouth, he was already whirling into motion, as was Taniguchi. 

          Rolling the dice, he tied in the large and medium lasers on both of his 'Mech's arms into the left and right top trigger TICs. The other glowing light on his weapons display stayed unassigned for now. _We shall see whether you make me use it, Taniguchi. Still at a dead run, he swiveled the __Cestus' torso about, unleashing his lasers at the __Warhammer. The left arm lasers shot wide, but green and ruby beams from the right arm slashed a steaming furrow across the __Warhammer's left leg._

          Taniguchi's counterstrike did far more damage. Two azure PPC beams cored into his 'Mech's left torso and arm, savaging armor and exploding off more than a ton of metal plates. Suarez gritted his teeth as the cockpit rocked about him, digging the safety straps into his shoulders. _It will take more than that to finish me. Turning about, he presented his undamaged side to the __Warhammer and fired again._

******

The DCMS 'Mech staggered as one of the _Cestus' two medium lasers struck its cockpit, leaving molten armor running over half the viewscreen. The rest of the laser barrage liberally coursed over its right arm, revealing the stark white of myomer muscle underneath the metal plating. Unable to absorb the loss of so much weight on one side, the __Warhammer began to lean over to the left a bit, until its pilot wrestled it upright again._

Snarling a curse under his breath, Goro Taniguchi backed up and lashed out against his foe once more with all he had. The sweat on his brow and arms evaporated in seconds as the temperature within his cockpit soared. Fired in this wanton manner, the _Warhammer's energy weapons taxed its heat sinks (and his own cooling vest) to the breaking point. He gaped as the __Cestus dashed away and nimbly avoided what had struck it just seconds before. __What manner of warrior is he? Could they truly be SLDF?_

          What did it matter anyway what they were? If he could not disable the enemy, the _Cestus' precision laser strikes would surely cripple him before long. Then there would be little else to do but compose his death haiku. __Iie. I have never been a poet, and I refuse to be pushed to it now! But before then, he would have to wait until his heat levels subsided. Closing the protective covers over the muzzles of his PPCs, Taniguchi throttled his 'Mech to flank speed. __I will show you why they named this 'Mech after a blunt weapon. There is more to me than simple gunnery. _

******

          Still on the run, an irritated Ramon Suarez brushed hair out of his eyes; damp from sweat, it was now plastered directly in his line of sight. The rigid frame of his neurohelmet pressing down on him wasn't helping him see either. So it was that he had just cleared it away when he caught sight of the 70-ton _Warhammer bearing directly down on his position at full speed. __What does he think this is, a game of chicken? _

          Caught off guard, all he could do was try to roll with the blow, while triggering his weapons again. His luck held, barely.

          Whether by design or chance, Goro Taniguchi had chosen to lead with his 'Mech's damaged right side, battering the _Cestus with a shoulder charge. At the same time, all four of the __Cestus' lasers flashed out, exploding the __Warhammer's shoulder actuator and tearing off its right arm at the joint._

          Suarez heard damage alerts all around him as his 'Mech toppled to the ground. Of course, it could also have been the bells ringing in his head. It seemed even a neurohelmet hadn't kept him from suffering a mild concussion. _There will be time enough to worry about that if I survive. Looking at his HUD, he saw that the __Warhammer had overshot him and also fallen. That was the least of his worries. _

          Judging from the yellow and red overlays on his display, he was in bad shape. The fall had jammed the elbow actuator on his left arm, and knocked the focusing lens of the large laser on that arm out of alignment. His left torso was now more myomer than armor, venting coolant fluid from two crushed heat sinks. Levering the _Cestus up on its good right arm, he caught sight of the __Warhammer trying to do the same. __I think not, Taniguchi. You have had your fun._

          Rising slowly, the _Cestus turned and faced its foe. A dull tone blared in Suarez's ears as the targeting system acquired a lock. __Time for the trump card. A round slug sped forth from the gauss rifle in his 'Mech's right torso, joined by the two lasers on its good arm. The crack of the supersonic projectile's flight was followed with another loud crack as the __Warhammer's remaining arm snapped off, sending the 'Mech down to earth once again._

          His duel finally over, Ramon Suarez slumped back in his command couch. _That went well. _

          "You are not finished yet, warrior. Kill me and spare me the indignity of being sent to join these Unproductives. Your honor demands that much." Goro Taniguchi sounded tired, both from the stress of his position and from the failure he'd just suffered.

          He'd almost forgotten. Being in battle again after so many months had dulled all of the Wolverines' instincts, his own no exception. But was it really necessary to do this?

          "I cannot comply, _Chu-sa. To kill you would not be in either of our best interests, and I do not believe in wasting valuable resources." Taniguchi laughed bitterly._

          "You come to this world, capture my garrison, defeat me handily, and now you begrudge me even the cost of a bullet? Had I known, I would have borrowed a sword from one of my officers." _That's odd._

          "I do not understand, _Chu-sa. Do you not carry your own __dai-sho, as most DCMS soldiers do?"_

          Now the enemy officer's voice carried some asperity. "If I had a _dai-sho, do you think I would do it the dishonor of leaving it at home? __Iie. My right to the two swords disappeared the day I was transferred here. I imagine some __Tai-sa is admiring them on his wall as we speak." __An opening! Ramon Suarez keyed his radio into the general broadcast frequency, as well as activating his external speakers._

          "So here we sit, _Chu-sa. You believe your honor is in tatters, but I see a path to even greater glory for you just beyond the horizon. Which road would you rather choose?" Now Taniguchi, too, was broadcasting to everyone around them._

          "What madness do you speak? I owe my service, my very life, to the Dragon. To betray him would be unforgivable!"

          _You unbelievable fool! "Owe him, Taniguchi? __Owe him? That crazed, bloodthirsty lunatic? Oh, yes, you owe him. You owe him for sending you here to die. For demoting you to a nothing post on a nothing world. For giving you all such an honorable legacy to live up to." Now he turned to the other militia warriors. "How many of those 52 million people are you willing to be responsible for, all of you!? How much of their blood do you want on your hands?"_

******

          Shame filled him. Whether it was for his personal failures, or for the legacy of the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery, he did not know. The alien warrior's words should not have had an effect on him. He had not yet been born when the Kentares Massacre had occurred. And yet here he was, unable to prevent the image of the Dragon in his mind, once so proud and strong, from twisting in upon itself, sprouting devil's horns and a forked tongue, cackling with insane laughter. _Have I truly been so blind? What manner of monster have I helped to create?_

          The _Cestus stepped forward, right arm outstretched, Ramon Suarez's words echoing to all. "Join us, Goro Taniguchi. I know you are smart enough to have figured out who we are. We can offer you the opportunity to redeem yourself, through service to the entire Inner Sphere, not just a single nation. You may even bring your unit with you, if you like. But in order to do so, you must take that first step." Would it truly be that easy? To walk away from the only life he had ever known? Taniguchi could only sit in his downed 'Mech and think. For a long moment, everyone was still._

           Suddenly, another voice intruded into Goro's thoughts. His aide, _Tai-i Hikaru Kuwata, stepped forward in his __Shadow Hawk._

          "Fellow comrades, he speaks truth! Who among you have not railed against the fate that sent us here, or whispered about the rumors of the Dragon's madness? Are we no more than a Chain Gang, sent to guard the Dragon's dregs, and die alone on this barren rock? Serve the Dragon loyally, without question, and this is how he rewards you! We call these _gaijin barbarians, but they have shown us more honor than any within our own ranks."_

          Striding past the downed _Warhammer, the __Shadow Hawk faced the __Cestus and bowed briefly._

          "Warriors, I am _Tai-i Hikaru Kuwata. I cannot speak for my commander, but I wish to join your ranks, if you will have me."_

          Sarah McEvedy's _McKenna advanced to stand at Ramon Suarez's side. "As commanding general of this unit, I, Sarah McEvedy, bid you welcome to the Star League Defense Force. We shall strive to be worthy of your respect."_

          "_Iie, McEvedy-__sama. Your warrior has already earned my respect, and my gratitude, by sparing __Chu-sa Taniguchi's life. Such honor can only be repaid in one way."_

          Ramon Suarez turned back to Taniguchi's prone _Warhammer. "It is said, __Chu-sa, that death is light as a feather, and duty as heavy as a mountain. Do you still wish to be relieved of your burden?"_

          Taniguchi's reply was clipped and tight. _Very well. It seems my karma __is not yet done with me. "I would know your name, warrior. The name of the one who has brought me to this dilemma."_

          "I am Captain Ramon Suarez, _Chu-sa Taniguchi."_

          "Very well, Suarez-_san. Your logic is inescapable. I formally surrender control of the work camp to your unit, and I will join your forces. Those soldiers in the militia who do not wish to come with __Tai-i Kuwata and myself are free to leave." He laughed softly._

          "You realize, _Tai-i Suarez__, that in the Combine, you would now be responsible for my life, since you have just saved it." Ramon Suarez simply grinned._

          "I see no problems with that, _Chu-sa Taniguchi. Together, we can keep the true spirit of honor alive, so that future generations will benefit."_

          "Well said. Now let me get out of this junkheap, and I will lead you to your objective."

          Sarah looked in on the scene, lost in thought. _This is what we forgot, in all that fighting over politics, petty property and caches. The true way of the warrior. No, scratch that. It will be the Way of the Wolverine, and these two will help me spread it among our children, and our children's children. _

          Looking up at the sky for a moment, she caught sight of Richmond's brilliant sun, rising towards its zenith. _We will rise again, Nicholas Kerensky. Rise to defend the Inner Sphere, humanity itself, if you should ever be foolish enough to come back. Rise to uphold the ideals of our forefathers, no matter what it takes. Then she throttled up her BattleMech, to go and free her charges. __On my honor, I swear it._

"Who remembered honor on Richmond?

Few but those two, Suarez and Taniguchi

Their battle may have been brief, 

But its lessons will live forever.

Honor thy foe, warriors,

And you may find 

That soon enough he becomes your ally

That is the Way of the Wolverine."

-Wolverine Remembrance, Passage 2, Verse 15, Lines 12-20


	3. Bonus Coverage: A Look at the Wolverines...

Return of the Wolverines 

By Silver Eagle

Bonus Coverage- 

I know I tend to write pretty slowly, so before the next part of the Prologue comes out, here's some information on modern-day Wolverine organization and society, as it stands right before the Clan Invasion.

**Clan Wolverine: Out of the Shadows, Into the Future**

**_Khans of Clan Wolverine:_**

Sarah McEvedy (2810-2845)

Kieran Winthrop (2845-2853)

Frances Marion "Fox" McEvedy (2853-2909)

Joel Walker (2909-2939)

Kazuhiro Taniguchi (2939-2949)

Michaela Sutherland (2949-2962)

Matthew McKenna (2962-2993)

Charles Liu (2993-3010)

Drew McCorkell-Cooper (3010-3029)

Dane Suarez (3030-3048)

Edele Hallis (3049- )

**_Blood Houses_:**

Several of these Blood Houses are not descended from the original 800 Bloodnamed, but rather from second-line and lower caste houses that became warriors during the Wolverines' Third Exodus.

[ED NOTE: * denotes Raven bloodlines that have risen to prominence on their own, independent of mixing with a Wolverine Blood House. # denotes Combine Blood Houses recruited into the Clan in 2825.]

General 

McEvedy

McKenna*

Brodeur

Pike

Engel

BattleMech 

Hallis

Walker

Haldane

Suarez

Winthrop

Chen

Taniguchi#

Aerospace 

Takayama

Figaro

Draskovic

Sutherland

Kuwata#

McCorkell*

Cooper*

Sukhanov*

Armor 

MacAndrew

Chang

DeSouza

Schneider

Brandon

Infantry 

Gaffney

Zhukov

Liu

Aiken

Gunnarson

Medical/Technician 

Calder

Rogers

Dumatrait

Mulroney

Tetarenko

Applegate

Merchant 

Eisen

Fife

Victorine

Gagne

Matsuda#

**_Major Enclaves (as of 3049)_:**

[ED NOTE: Population count does not include warriors, except for the Planetary Militias on Sarah's Hope, Marketplace, Rubicon, New Jamaica and Halcyon.]

Solaris VII (FedCom/Lyran)

Population- 2,461,310

Location- Montenegro, Black Hills

Objective(s)- 'Mech production, warrior training

Galatea (FedCom/Lyran)

Population- 1,843,592

Location- Boynton, Rossmoor City

Objective(s)- Recruitment, unit organization, refit and repair

Goshen (FedCom/Davion)

Population- 1,559,216

Location- Drexel, War College of Goshen

Objective(s)- Warrior education/training, recruitment, unit organization

Terra (ComStar)

Population- 5,133,820

Location- Seattle, Geneva, Hong Kong

Objective(s)- Increasing Clan funds, political influence, material production, spying on ComStar

Paradise (Free Worlds League)

Population- 226,674

Location- Calatrava Valley

Objective(s)- Unit rest and refit, medical research, auxiliary Genetic Repository #2

Luxen (Magistracy of Canopus)

Population- 3,381,532

Location- Pleasant Hill, Mt. Thetis

Objective(s)- Intelligence training, scientific/technical research, auxiliary Genetic Repository #1

Quatre Belle (Outworlds Alliance)

Population- 25,675,198

Location- Tarasole, Lone Pine

Objective(s)- Warrior education/training (Aerospace only), technical research/material production (Aerospace only) [ED NOTE: Site of the first Wolverine settlement outside of the Kerensky Cluster.]

**_The Homeworlds:_**

Sarah's Hope (Rimward of the Taurian Concordat)

Population- 55,834,377

Capital City- Port Frances

Objective(s)- Homeworld of Clan Wolverine, main scientific/medical/technical research laboratories, auxiliary material production, main Genetic Repository, Wolverine naval shipyards

Rubicon (Rimward of the Taurian Concordat)

Population- 17,178,406

Capital City- Monte Cassino

Objective(s)- Main BattleMech/Aerospace/Armor production factories, agricultural supplies, training grounds for Regular Army and Independent Military Forces

Halcyon (Rimward of the Taurian Concordat)

Population- 21,230,439

Capital City- Mar del Plata

Objective(s)- Agricultural supplies, terraforming research, unit rest and refit, main campus of Gina Rogers Institute of Medicine (GRIM)

New Jamaica (Rimward of the Taurian Concordat)

Population- 18,322,419

Capital City- King's Cross

Objective(s)- Entertainment, agricultural supplies, central HPG broadcasting tower for the Clan News Network, and site of the Matsuda Academy of the Arts

Marketplace (Rimward of the New Colony Region, Anti-spinward of Sarah's Hope)

Population- 23,563,219

Capital City- Rothschild Heights

Objective(s)- Divert attention from Sarah's Hope and the Deep Periphery enclaves, intelligence on Deep Periphery, economic meeting place for travelers between Magistracy and Concordat

Vigilance (Coreward of the Free Rasalhague Republic)

Population- Variable (depends on the current assigned unit; anywhere from 250 to 15,000)

Capital City- Fort Hallis

Objective(s)- Forward observation post, reconnaissance of Deep Periphery, possible future anti-Clan staging area

**Universities/Academies:**

McEvedy College of War- Sarah's Hope

Gina Rogers Institute of Medicine- Halcyon

Applegate Technical University- Rubicon

Drew McCorkell-Cooper Flight Academy- Quatre Belle

CID Training Facility (AKA "Spook School")- Luxen

Matsuda Academy of the Arts- New Jamaica

Sociological Study Excerpts 

Compiled by Dr. Patrice Calder, Clan Wolverine Central Intelligence Department

_Government_:

          As a Clan of individuals spread out over more than 250 worlds, the Wolverines do not truly have a single government over their people. Most civilian Wolverines simply abide by the laws of the Successor State they live in, while the laws of their particular unit govern warriors, be it Successor State or mercenary. The Homeworlds do have a form of government, however, namely the House of Parliament, composed of a wide spectrum of representatives from areas of all five Homeworlds, with the Khan acting as a quasi-Prime Minister.

          Parliament tends to control local and planet-wide civilian affairs, while the Khan busies himself or herself with military matters large and small, including logistics and membership in the Regular Army and Independent Forces, as well as the administration of institutions of higher education. Notwithstanding this separation of powers, the Khan's opinion is usually solicited when the matter Parliament is discussing would affect all members of the Clan, such as changes in the Iron Womb Program or Blood House administration.

          Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected to three-year terms by local districts on their particular homeworld, with limits of two consecutive terms and four total terms unless the MP wins a referendum within their district. Every year, the full complement of MPs from an individual world will elect a Speaker to better represent the issues affecting their world as a whole. Together, the five Speakers (from Sarah's Hope, Halcyon, Rubicon, New Jamaica, and Marketplace) form the High Council, with the Khan as its moderator and administrator, debating the most sensitive and important issues on the Clan's overall direction.

          This history of representative democracy has permeated Wolverine life and society to such an extreme that most Wolverines have never known anything else, and feel uncomfortable when in Successor States that do not use it, such as the Draconis Combine or Capellan Confederation. Some also feel ambivalent about the Federated Commonwealth, because of the heavy feudal influence in that state's government. The closest system to Wolverine government is probably that of the Free Worlds League, as the Clan's Parliament is loosely based on that of the League, and indeed many individual Wolverines have chosen to live in the League between trips to the Homeworlds.

_Daily Life and Culture:_

Basic Overview 

The Wolverines' odd origins have made them a hybrid of societies from all over the Inner Sphere. From the Draconis Combine, they absorbed the code of bushido and the concept of honor. The Outworlds Alliance taught them the value of getting back to one's roots, and occasionally eschewing technology for something you made with your own hands. The Magistracy of Canopus gave them a lesson in enjoying life to the fullest, while the Free Worlds League reminded Wolverine Khans that two heads are sometimes (but not always) better than one. In the Lyran Commonwealth, Wolverine merchants experienced the joys of making an honest C-Bill, while the Federated Suns reinforced the glory of fighting to defend your nation.

The Importance of Family 

          Having spent so much of their beginning on the run, the Wolverines are heavily family-oriented, to the point where many "fringe" Clan members (i.e. those with mothers who married outside the Clan) feel compelled to introduce themselves with both their full name and that of their Blood House. For instance, a man named Thomas Hesketh whose mother was from House Aiken, will introduce himself as "Thomas Hesketh; my mother is an Aiken."

          Family is important to Wolverines for other reasons as well. Foremost among them is the simple fact that there is nobody better to share secrets and information with than your own family. Particularly when it comes to marriage outside of the Clan, Wolverines often consult their parents, siblings and other close relations as to the trustworthiness of their potential mate. While this is mostly concerned with preserving the secrecy of the Clan, it also stems from the realization that life as a Wolverine is inherently difficult, because of the Mission, security demands, and the constant vigilance against Kerensky's Clans. 

Wolverines and Children 

          The Clan-wide respect for family also manifests itself in another fashion, one that sets it well apart from the Children of Kerensky. Wolverines are inordinately fond of children. It would not be unusual to see a grizzled warrior, who only moments ago had been fighting a merciless battle, stop on the street, converse with a toddler and pat it on the head. In fact, one of the main reasons the merchant class managed to become so wealthy was because they cornered the toy market in four of the six Successor States.

          Similar to the controversial "orphan soldier" program Wolf's Dragoons employed after the Fourth Succession War, the Wolverines have been running orphanages all over the Inner Sphere for centuries, covertly alerting childless Homeworld families, and then sending young volunteers back to the Homeworlds to become full-fledged members of the Clan. Less willing orphans are given to Inner Sphere families to adopt, but many wind up returning to the Clan in a support capacity later in life.

          Childless Wolverine families also have another option, the ubiquitous Iron Womb Program (IWP). Families with reproductive problems can get help with having a child, on a single, simple condition- they must also raise another child formed in the same batch from genes in one or both parents' Blood Houses. This particular condition of IWP is the main method of integrating the stolen Snow Raven genetic legacies into the Wolverine gene pool. IWP offers financial incentives to all of its clients, including a substantial monetary stipend for families who consent to having more than the basic two children in the same batch. Most families decline the stipend, however, because they do not want to feel like they are being paid to raise their children, and they refuse to stigmatize the child as a source of income.

          Lest it be thought that they are only concerned with cranking out offspring, it should be noted that Clan Wolverine has some of the most stringent laws regarding families and childrearing in the known universe. Anyone who wants to become a parent must attend a series of courses developed by the Ministry of Medicine (MoM). At the end of the course, a rigorous test is given which includes everything from multiple-choice questions to role-playing with other potential parents. Only those who pass muster are allowed a Parental License. There is obviously no limit on how many children a person may have, save that for every child past the first, both parents (or just one, if a single parent) must take a follow-up test that also helps to screen them for signs of potential child abuse or, in the case of a mother, post-partum depression/psychosis. Failure subjects them to intense scrutiny from the MoM, and potentially a revocation of their Parental License. 

          The Wolverines do not place any importance on a potential parent's sexual orientation, no matter whether the potential child is naturally born, an IWP child, or an Inner Sphere adoptee. Such a classification would be an inherent violation of the Way of the Wolverine, and is not contemplated.

Speech, Morals and Social Taboos 

          Wolverines are an odd dichotomy; even in the Inner Sphere, they tend to be very blunt and are not shy about expressing their beliefs. But at the same time, if a Wolverine can conceal a bit of information from a Spheroid, she will. The secrecy of the Clan's existence is an imperative drilled into each young Wolverine from birth, often as something to aspire to and be proud of, rather than a skeleton in the closet.

          That same Wolverine pride in being part of the "true SLDF" tends to lead to a certain irreverence and lack of respect when dealing with Successor State authority figures. This is why most of the Clan's Inner Sphere-based warriors are traditionally part of mercenary units and not House units.

          The Wolverines have long since discarded most of the Kerensky-era conventions on speech, including the ban on contractions. Perhaps in a backlash against the culture that expelled them, they also tend to eschew most Clan traditions, save to read the Remembrance occasionally to their children, and to adhere to the Way of the Wolverine.

          The Way of the Wolverine is quite similar to the honor road of the Kerensky Clans, if a little less strict. Wolverines are expected to be honest, forthright, and uphold the principles of justice, courage, honor and loyalty. To commit a crime against a fellow Clan member is looked on with scorn, and to harm a Spheroid, other than on the battlefield or in the boardroom, can stigmatize the offender's Blood House for decades at a time.

          As for social mores, the Clan's self-proclaimed "true SLDF" status has made them incurable romantics, almost the polar opposite of the Kerensky Clans. In addition to their love of children, many Wolverines (though they would never admit it to their Inner Sphere neighbors) enjoy a good drama or tragedy. Epic tales of bravery, honor, romance and friendship strike a chord with them. Soap operas, however, do not; most Wolverines consider them anathema and a waste of valuable holovid airtime. 

          [ED NOTE: A story that has escaped most Clan historians is the apocryphal tale of the motivation behind the Deep Raid of 3026, during which the mercenary unit Haldane's Hurricanes, working for the Federated Suns, struck deep into Combine territory to attack several targets, the world of Minakuchi being the last. After disabling the planetary militia, several companies detoured into the capital city of Cho and, after forcibly evacuating the building, blasted the headquarters of Spreading the Glories, Incorporated to smithereens. A later quote on the odd incident, attributed to General Cassandra Haldane, the Hurricanes' commanding officer, supposedly declared, "making someone watch those horrible exported musicals of theirs is a crime against humanity."]

The most famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) export of the Wolverine Ministry of Entertainment, in fact, is the _Immortal Warrior _holovid series, a thinly disguised rehashing of certain sections of the Wolverine Remembrance! Of course, when confronted with Inner Sphere _Immortal Warrior_ fans, most Wolverines cannot help bursting into laughter, because they know just how exaggerated the series really is.

          


	4. Prologue Part 3: A Meeting of Minds

Return of the Wolverines

By Silver Eagle

Prologue Part 3: A Meeting of Minds 

"Do all the good you can,  
by all the means you can,  
in all the ways you can,  
as long as ever you can."

                             -John Wesley, from "Way of the Wolverine," by Ramon Suarez, Goro Taniguchi, and Sarah McEvedy, Central Clan Press, 2830

"They saw little

And knew even less

But they welcomed us

When others would not

Fought by our side

When we were beset

Honor them, warriors

Defend them to your last breath

The Outworlds Alliance will never fall

So long as a single Wolverine lives."

-Wolverine Remembrance, Passage 4, Verse 2, Lines 109-119

March 2, 2827

The War Room

Underneath Valley Farms Agrocomplex, Tarasole

Quatre Belle

Outworlds Alliance

          "Hideyoshi Matsuda." Kieran Winthrop sounded as bored as he was. The endless rounds of questioning and interrogation of all the prisoners and soldiers from Richmond were finally coming to an end. Gaining their own world from the Outworlds Alliance had given them a permanent headquarters and sped up the process. 

All but a few dozen of the refugees had found homes and jobs either among the Wolverines or in the Alliance. Many had joined Jake Walker in forming the Crimson Corsairs, a mercenary aerospace unit that they had "loaned" to the Alliance in exchange for Quatre Belle. Still others had joined Minato Takayama and the War Fleet on their exploratory mission.

          A lanky young man rose from the ranks of the remaining prisoners and walked over to the makeshift witness stand. Kieran scanned the biographical file before him as Matsuda adjusted the microphone.

          "Mr. Matsuda, your occupation's listed as…artisan. If you don't mind me asking, how does an artist wind up as a political prisoner next to a bunch of disgraced soldiers and nobles?"

"_Sumimasen_, Commander. I have a habit of letting my sense of humor run away with me. I am not so much concerned with aesthetics as I am with the arts of subterfuge, interrogation, sabotage, surveillance, and of course, blackmail." Hideyoshi Matsuda winked and laid a finger on the side of his nose. "At least, I would like to think that I have raised the practice of them to an art form."

          "So our artisan is ISF." It was both a statement of fact and an accusation. Matsuda shrugged.

          "Did you expect me to trumpet it to everyone?" 

          Kieran Winthrop leaned back in his chair, his expression dubious. "We trust the ISF about as far as we trust Jinjiro Kurita, which is not at all. You realize I could simply have you shot?"

          "If you were going to do that, Commander, you would already have done so. Judging by your reluctance, you appreciate my potential value."

          "I don't see any value in our people clutching a serpent to their collective breast. ISF doesn't let anybody go. Once you're in, it's for life. You're going to have to do better than this to convince me you've got any _value_."

          "A predictable, and wise mindset, Winthrop-_san_." Matsuda nodded in appreciation. "Very well. I shall tell you why I am here, and what I can offer you."

          "You know that Jinjiro Kurita is mad. In fact, he himself knows that he will inevitably degenerate past any standard of competency. What you may not realize is how he came to know. Some years ago, a small group of officials had the Coordinator examined during one of his periods of insanity. The doctor determined that Jinjiro's madness was incurable, and would eventually claim him. The ISF naturally caught word of this development.

          "At the time, there was considerable debate over what should be done. Should we tell the Dragon of his infirmity, thereby revealing that we placed no belief in the myth of his godhood? Should we stay silent, thus risking death and worse for our disloyalty? The arguments went on deep into the night, for weeks on end. I was a low-ranking officer at the time, rising through the ranks rapidly, based on my service along the front lines, as well as behind them. But when the medical information debate reached my ears, I knew what had to be done.

          "That night I circumvented the security barriers in Unity Palace, and found myself at the door of the Coordinator's Quarters. I was in luck. The Coordinator had long known of the ISF's loyalty to him; to have an agent come to him in the dark of night, avoiding the sycophants and hangers-on, could only mean that the news was of great importance.

          "I told the Dragon of what I heard, supplying him with a copy of the medical report. He took the news with much more grace than I had anticipated, and for a moment I believed I might be honored for my courage, as Talon Sergeant Tobiason was on Kentares.

          "It was not to be. The Dragon was pleased with the ISF's loyalty, but believed that my superiors had sent me to him. What else would he do but tell those same men of my actions, anticipating that they would reward me?

          "They were furious, of course. To them, that an insolent young pup would leapfrog all of them and make his own decision was a great insult. They 'rewarded' me with command of the ISF detachment on Richmond, to monitor the Unproductives there and report on their progress."

          Kieran Winthrop didn't bat an eye. The two years after the last Combine raid had mellowed him and given him a reputation for methodical preparation and insight in everything he did, the prisoner debriefings being no exception. "That still doesn't tell me why I should believe you."

          "My time on Richmond was brief, but it taught me more than a few lessons, Commander Winthrop. The most important is that unless one controls their own destiny, true freedom in any part of life is impossible."

          "Why not simply escape and become a free agent?"

          Matsuda's retort was dry. "The ISF would still know that I was alive, Commander. I do not like their leadership, but their abilities are not so easy to dismiss. My whereabouts would be no secret to them, no matter where I went in the Inner Sphere.

          "Quatre Belle is safer, hidden underground as we are. Obviously, my capability to conduct operations for you is limited, but I will train volunteers if they can be found. All of my communications and whereabouts will be open for monitoring; I will even submit myself to having a shadow, a 'watchdog.'"

          Kieran snorted. "Doesn't sound much like freedom to me."

          "Trust, like cities, cannot be constructed overnight." Matsuda shrugged. "Make no mistake, Commander. I will only suffer these restrictions for so long. Once my loyalty is proven, I expect that my position as Director of Intelligence will be unchallenged, so long as I am up to the task. That is my price."

          Winthrop stroked his newly grown goatee as he sat back to consider the ISF agent's offer. _He's right about one thing. Human intelligence is the key to pulling off our mission, and we didn't exactly take too many spies along with us on the Third Exodus_. But if he simply agreed to this without consulting the Khan… _Her temper hasn't gotten any better in two years of peace._ No, there had to be a solution.

          And then he knew what it was. Rising from his chair, he walked over to Matsuda and extended his hand.

          "You're hired, Matsuda, on one condition. I'll assign Colonel Taniguchi as your shadow, but your first student…" He fixed the younger man with a deathly serious stare.          "…is me."

January 1, 2828

Clan Council Chamber

Underneath Valley Farms Agrocomplex, Tarasole

Quatre Belle

Outworlds Alliance

          "This cannot stand, my Khan. There must be something we can do." Goro Taniguchi gestured toward Doctor Adam Calder, head of the Wolverine science and technology cadre. "Doctor Calder, your thoughts?"

          "We could just dump the Raven legacies, or seal them away for emergencies." Thin, with unkempt hair, Calder resembled his nickname, "Einstein," though he was a distinguished geneticist and reproductive technician rather than a physicist. "I don't think that would be a good idea, though."

          "You would have us employ stolen property?"

          "These aren't normal circumstances, Colonel." Calder shrugged. "We lack intelligence on the Kerensky Clans. They could be months from invading the Inner Sphere, or decades away. In our current size, we can't hold off one Clan, let alone nineteen. Integrating the Raven legacies in our gene pool will let us grow faster than simple childbirth would."

          "Hold on, hold on." Raising her arms, palms out, Khan Sarah McEvedy quieted the buzzing whispers in the Clan Council chamber. "I've talked with Dr. Calder, and he assures me we're not just going to create an assembly line of kids. Doctor, if you'd care to outline your plan?"

          "Certainly, Ma'am." Adam Calder began to consult the datapad in his hand. "What I propose is that we stare our actions on Circe in the face. Of course, there's no way to punish saKhan Hallis and his Keshik for going overboard at Dehra Dun, but we can always make it an object lesson in the Remembrance. Theft is wrong, we'll atone, the whole nine yards. I'll leave that part up to people better with words than me.

          "As for the Ravens, we can create a generation of children originating in each Raven Blood House, to be raised by willing volunteers, preferably those who cannot have children of their own, or are too old to bear children themselves. They will be raised as any other child might, but of course they'll eventually be able to start their own Blood House, that will be as much a part of our society as any original House.

          "We're also looking into using the Iron Womb Program for its original intent- helping families with reproductive problems have children. The only difference is that we add a few conditions to the program, like asking prospective parents to raise an extra child from their Blood House or a Raven legacy. We can even offer stipends to those families who accept, to cover the financial burden." He turned to Ramon Suarez, eyebrow raised.

          "You're the other Keeper of Honor, Major Suarez. Would that be acceptable?"

          "Honor is not always an ironclad barrier, Doctor. Based on the suggestions you have made, I believe it could work. The question is how to ensure that these Raven children will be treated right." Calder conceded the point with a nod and waved one of his fellow scientists forward.

          "My colleague, Dr. Gina Rogers, is chief of obstetrics and child psychology. She'll handle this question." Another lab-coated scientist stepped out next to Calder, donning a pair of reading glasses.

          "We've been doing some research on family law and customs of humankind throughout the ages, and in one of our searches on old Terran customs, we discovered a theory known as Parental Licensing. It was never actually implemented, but we think in a more disciplined society like we have here, it might work very well.

          "Basically, before we allow anyone to become a parent, we put them through a series of courses and lessons on parenting. At the end of the course, they're given a comprehensive test that involves not only answering questions, but also being able to manifest parental skills and instincts. The ones who pass get a Parental License. If they choose to have more children, we run them through a re-qualification process for each extra child. That lets us screen for conditions like post-partum depression, which isn't always obvious with the first child.

          "They'll be raised to positions of equality in society, and perhaps even higher than normal, with the knowledge that they are needed and special, just as any other child is. As much as is possible, the Raven children, and hopefully all other children, will be an integral part of the Clan's future." Sarah McEvedy rose and held her arms out to her Clan.

          "We've done things we're not proud of, myself more than most, but that doesn't mean we can't learn from our mistakes and reach greater heights. So let us raise the Ravens as our own, and rectify this error as best we can."

October 16, 2836

Hangar Bay 1

Valley Farms Agrocomplex, Tarasole

Quatre Belle

Outworlds Alliance

          Hideyoshi Matsuda squinted at the project laid out before him on his workbench for a moment, and then picked up the solder gun, ready to go back to work. It had been a long night, but he was almost finished.

          "Hi." _Nani?_ A tiny little voice from behind him made him straighten up. Turning around, he caught sight of an oddly familiar little brown-haired girl, no more than four years old, dressed in a nightshirt and clutching a large stuffed rabbit. _A child? In here?_ The Director of Intelligence put his tool down, and smiled at the girl.

          "Hello, little one. What are you doing here?" She said nothing for a second, peeking behind him at his project.

          "Looking at the dolly." _If you only knew what this innocent-looking toy is meant to do, little one, you would not want to see it._

          "Well, you are quite the inquisitive child. Tell me, what is your name, and your little friend?" The girl held her rabbit out to him, answering in the same shy voice.

          "Francie. This is Fluffy Bunny. Auntie Roberta gave her to me."_ The mystery becomes clear._ Now he knew why she seemed so familiar.

          "Aha! I know you. You are the Little Fox!" She seemed perplexed by that nickname. Matsuda chuckled.

          "I see I am being too smart for my own good again. Of course you would not know. You see, child, your full name is Frances Marion McEvedy. Your mother named you after a very famous person, you know." The girl's expression brightened.

          "Really?"

          "Yes, Little Fox. In fact, you are named after _two_ famous people. A long, long time ago, there was a great general on Terra named Francis Marion. He was so smart and tricky that people called him the Swamp Fox. And he was the first person your mother named you for."

          "And who was the other?"

          "Well, you do not know him either, but he was your genetic father, Franklin Hallis. He died protecting all of us from some very bad men, who live very far away. Why, you would not be here, if not for him." She stared at him, rapt in his storytelling.

          "So you see, you are a very special girl. Not only do you have a famous name, you are the child of two great heroes. That is why everyone knows who you are, even a lowly technician like me."

          "You can still shovel it with the best of them, Hideyoshi. _Lowly technician_?" He looked up to see the Khan of Clan Wolverine striding into his workshop, trying to stifle a yawn. Sarah McEvedy picked up her daughter and glanced down at the doll on the workbench. Her face dimmed, sadness replacing the weary fatigue in her eyes.

          "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but we really have no choice, do we?" The commander of the Central Intelligence Department shook his head.

          "My sources tell me the fits are getting worse. If I had not told him of his condition myself, I would not have believed it, but the information was all there. The man was unpredictable at his best, but I truly fear what he may do as he creeps closer to total insanity. It is not that I trust the rest of his house, you understand, but almost anyone would be a better choice as ruler. Has the Council approved the plan, then?"

          Grasping her child tighter, Sarah nodded. "We've been up all night debating this, trying to come up with alternatives; I guess all the talking was keeping Francie awake, so she started wandering around. Finally, Goro put it right out there on the table. To leave him in control would be a dereliction of our duty. After that, we just bit the bullet and voted."

          Hideyoshi Matsuda's eyebrows rose slightly. "That was unexpected. Taniguchi Goro might sooner have advocated a direct assault on Luthien."

"I don't think he'd ever admit to it, but he really can carry a grudge."

          "Well, it is of no consequence, as long as a decision has been reached. _Shikata ga nai. _It cannot be helped. We know what is to be done." The former ISF agent's expression was grim.

          "Jinjiro Kurita must be dealt with once and for all."

February 14, 2837

Coordinator's Quarters

Unity Palace, Imperial City

Luthien

Pesht Military District, Draconis Combine

          "There has been a delivery from the front, _Tono_. I believe it originated from Warlord Sugimoto's command post on Chandler." Jinjiro Kurita looked up from the military status reports on his desk to see a young member of the Otomo, his bodyguard unit, standing at attention in front of him, holding a brown paper parcel. 

          "Has it been tested?" 

          "_Hai, tono_. It is clean. No bombs, gases or other weapons were found within." The Coordinator grunted.

          "Very well. Leave it on the desk and be gone." The officer saluted and left the room after depositing the parcel.

          Some time passed before Jinjiro thought about the delivery again. Planning the newest raid on the Lyran world of Hesperus II was taking up most of his time these days. This time his forces would not fail to raze Defiance Industries to the ground. Entering the final changes to his strategy, he looked up and caught sight of the package lying on the corner of the desk. _Sugimoto, eh? He cannot even plan a simple raid without begging me for help. I shall have to have him shot._

          Tearing off the paper, he soon uncovered a metal cylinder with a screwed-on cap. Unscrewing the cap, he emptied the container's contents. Jinjiro froze as a toy figurine tumbled out to land face-up on the desk before him. Wearing the uniform of the long-departed Star League Defense Force, the doll looked up at him with an innocent, angelic smile. Suddenly, an odd, childish voice began to speak from within it.

          "Why, hello there, Jinjiro. I see you've met my little friend Richard. Do you want to know why he's here with you today? He knows about all of your deeds, Jinjiro. You've been such a bad man. 

"Does your mother know about you? Heaven's Gate would be so proud. Her son killed an entire world! Not only that, he managed to get rid of so many Unproductives at once, sending them off to die with empty promises of rescue.

          "We're watching you, Jinjiro. Didn't you know? Did you really think Warlord Sugimoto was behind this?" _That Otomo officer! He's no bodyguard!_

          "We're the SLDF, and we're coming for you, Jinjiro. Richard has so many friends he wants to introduce you to. The monk you stabbed to death on Kentares, General Sorai, and oh so many billions of new friends for you to meet. Every day, there'll be somebody new, coming by to see you! Isn't that wonderful?" He could see them now, crowding into the room, through windows, doors, even through the floorboards. They approached him, ghastly wraiths, reaching out for him, demanding his blood in retribution. Jinjiro Kurita screamed, stark mad shouts of terror ringing throughout the palace.

          He screamed for a very long time.

          Hikaru Kuwata smiled at the gate guards as he slowly shuffled out of the palace, making sure his workman's cap was snugly pulled down over his contact-shrouded eyes, wheeling a barrow full of gardening tools (and one stolen set of Otomo uniform and ID) away. _Sic semper tyrannis._

May 15, 2844

Research Lab Tango 4

Savonburg College of Medicine

New Cristos

Savonburg, Draconis March

Federated Suns

          Doctor Lionel Dumatrait ducked behind his desk as more bullets whizzed over his head and into the wall behind him. The sudden terrorist assault had caught the entire DMI security staff off guard, and now he was stuck in his laboratory with no weapons other than scalpels and Bunsen burners. _Merde! What do they want with me? I'm just a nanotechnology professor!_

          He shrank back against the desk as the locked door to his component storage room creaked open. A ghostly form crawled through the small opening, before the shroud around it resolved into a redheaded woman in a camouflage sneak suit, carrying a submachine gun.

          "You Dumatrait?" she asked, screwing a silencer onto her weapon. "Valerie Eisen, CID. I'm here to get you out."

          "W-what do you want with me?"

          "Well, it ain't for your sterling conversation skills." Eisen smirked as she peeked over the desk at the terrorists, and then ducked back down. "Four on the left side, two on the right, and little ole me with a popgun. Guess it's back out the way I came in. Get into the storage room and you'll find a rope hanging out of the ceiling air duct. DMI must be getting sloppy; I only found one infrared sensor in there. Get up into the duct and stay there until I come get you."

          "You're not coming along, Miss?" Lionel was crawling on his belly, but turned back to the sneak suited agent.

          "Call me Val, Doc. And relax, I'll be with you in a minute." She lit off a burst from her weapon, causing the terrorists to back into the hallway, then reached into a pouch at her waist, pulling out a grenade. "I gotta introduce our terrorist pals out there to a couple friends of mine."

          Finally, Dumatrait was through the door, and up the rope. Leaning down, he watched Eisen thumb the grenade's arming stud and roll the explosive toward the door. "Friends, Val?"

          She grinned as she activated her sneaksuit and shut the storage room door behind her, cutting off the screams that began echoing behind it. "Yeah, Willy and Pete."

******

          "Is it all right if I ask you something?" Lionel Dumatrait watched the countryside whiz by as Val Eisen's hovercar sped away from the College of Medicine. "You said you were CID. What is that, some internal, super-secret division of the DMI?"

          "Not quite. You know what the crest of House Hasek is, the Capellan March Lords?"

          "The All-Seeing Eye, I believe. Why?"

          "You wanted to know what we are, Doc. CID is your basic All-Seeing Eye. We make it our business to know anything and everything we can about what happens in the Inner Sphere."

          He looked at her, curiosity piqued. "You're not Federated Suns, then."

          "We're not much of anything, if you really gotta know." Valerie Eisen's expression was grave. "If we showed favoritism to any faction we'd only screw up our job."

          "And that job is…?"

          "We protect the Inner Sphere. Both from what may be outside it, and from itself. No matter what the cost." She looked at him briefly and then turned back to the road. "You really think those maniacs back there were terrorists?"

          Lionel shrugged. "They seemed crazy enough."

          "Crazy can mean a lot of things. Crazy for crazy's sake, eccentric, or even fanatical zeal. Does that ring a bell?"

          "I can't say it does." He shook his head, feeling a little overwhelmed by the information he was hearing. "I'm a nanotechnologist, not a spy."

          "ComStar. The ultimate technogeeks. Or technofreaks, if you've ever seen those morons at work. I mean, come on, praying to an HPG?"

          "What do they have to gain by killing me?"

          "Sorry to burst your bubble, but you're not the only target. Those "terrorists" back there were from ROM, ComStar's version of MI6. Since a few years ago they've been on a mission from their Primus Karpov, called Operation Holy Shroud. The object is to kill or intimidate technological researchers all over the Inner Sphere."

          "To what end? They're communications specialists, linking the Inner Sphere. Other technologies shouldn't matter to them."

          "Wrong, Doc. Think about this. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."

          "You're quoting Sun Tzu now? What happened to technology and communications?"

          "Technology and communications are as much tools of war as the BattleMech and gun. Consider the context we're talking in, Doc. Not 60 years after the SLDF left the Inner Sphere, even common tools and knowledge have been consigned to the dustbin of history. Lostech is the word of the day, and everyone's trying to hold on to it. In that scenario, he who has the most knowledge in the end winds up being the strongest power of all. The rest is just bloody war and battle.

          "Ever read the Word of Blake? The guy's off his rocker, but some parts of his ramblings are true. Destroy research, sabotage factories, impede archaeological digs; everyone else inevitably loses their knowledge. They're busy getting bombed into the Stone Age. That was the lesson ComStar gleaned from it, and why they tried to off you today."

          Lionel stared back out at the fields of grain rolling by his window. "It's odd; they seem so peaceful at the HPG stations."

          "That's why we call them the Smiling Assassins." The CID agent sniffed in disgust. "You think they dressed as 'fanatical terrorists' for fun? ComStar's public image is one of their greatest weapons. Who would suspect an acolyte in his cutesy robes and quaint compound? Just hand the grinning automaton your message and be on your way. If you're interested in joining, come on in and enjoy a happy little brainwashing. These guys make Hare Krishnas look benevolent."

          Cold, calm and shrewd were not words that could have described Lionel Dumatrait before he'd been attacked. He turned to Val Eisen, mind roiled with intrigue, fixing her with a calculating stare. "All right, so what are you going to do with me? I can't really do much without my research notes or lab, and you're obviously not taking me back to the College."

          Reaching into the glove compartment in front of him, she pulled out a metal box with leads and wires trailing out one end, dropping it in his lap. "Recognize this?"

          "What the hell? This is my hard drive! Where the hell did you get this?"

          "Stopped by your apartment on the way here. I figured we wouldn't have time to go there after the extraction, so I cracked the case and took the hard drive with me. The rest of your notebooks and some clothes are in the trunk. I gotta say, though, your fashion sense is about as good as your language skills." She snickered.

          "Don't worry, Doc. We'll get you some nice threads once you've settled in with us. We've already got a lab prepared if you'd like to continue your research."

          Lionel Dumatrait laughed and threw up his hands helplessly. "With an argument like that, how can I refuse?"

          "Good choice, Doc." Val pulled a communicator from the pouch at her waist, activating it with the push of a button. "Sanctuary, this is Aegis. Extraction complete, returning with subject Dumatrait."

          The communicator crackled as an Asian voice on the other end responded. "Acknowledged, Aegis. This is Hidden One. Operation Salvation is proceeding according to plan. Doctor Dumatrait is the last of the Savonburg batch, so proceed to the spaceport in Carlsruth. We lift as soon as you are in the cargo bay."

          In his cabin onboard the Wolverine DropShip, Hideyoshi Matsuda smiled. _CID one, ROM nothing._

NOTES:

"Beware, Wolverines

The Word of Blake is a fiction

A cowl, a hood to hide

The ravening ambition 

That is ComStar.

Do they truly think they are

The only ones with technology?

Delude themselves that only they 

Were given a sacred mission?

We shall show them what happens

When you scheme against humanity."

-Wolverine Remembrance, Passage 32, Verse 11, Lines 101-112

-It's bonus time, baby! This time, we'll take a look at the flagship unit of the Wolverine Regular Army…

**331st Royal BattleMech Division: The North American Division**

          Since Third Exodus, the 331st has always existed in some form or another, like the Minnesota Tribe raids. Whether organized within a Wolverine mercenary unit or in its current form, as part of the Regular Army, it is the flagship unit of the Clan. Every distinguished Wolverine warrior passes through it at some point, either in a training role, command of a component unit, or as a frontline warrior. 

Commanding Officer 

          The Khan of Clan Wolverine, currently Edele Hallis, is nominally the commander of the 331st, but historically most Khans have preferred to lead the Clan from the head of their own Keshik. Under these circumstances, the commander of the 75th New Earth Armored Cavalry, the most senior unit among the four brigades, takes command of the division. 

Lt. General Yoshiyuki Taniguchi, the current division commander, is also the Clan Keeper of Honor, tasked with making sure that every Clan member adheres to (or at least knows of) the Way of the Wolverine. His success in that role is partly responsible for his command of the 75th New Earth Armored Cavalry RCT, but Taniguchi, like many of his ancestors, is an able strategist and tactician. Similar to Clan Chaplain Roberto "Bobby" DeSouza's 6th Wolverine Jaegers RCT (Faith of the Fallen), General Taniguchi often splits his command into component units and joins Independent Forces like Haldane's Hurricanes in the field, to keep watch over the more far-flung Wolverine communities.

Support and Deployment 

          As the best unit in the Clan, the 331st gets the best technology and supplies of any unit in the Regular Army. They reserve the most talented technicians available, and are guaranteed transport anywhere they are assigned.

Unit Colors 

          Each of the 331st's component units uses the division color scheme when painting their machines. The 331st paints its 'Mechs, armor and aerospace fighters white with gold trim when on parade duty, and in camouflage colors matching the local terrain when on duty. The 331st Division's unit insignia is a silhouette of the North American state of Minnesota next the number "331."

Component Units (with BattleMech strength noted) [Size/Experience/Loyalty] 

75th New Earth Armored Cavalry RCT- (R/E/F): Twin City Terrors

(CO: Lt. General Yoshiyuki Taniguchi)

Current Posting- Sarah's Hope

Insignia- Two _Toreador_ BattleMechs shaking hands over a river, with the city of Port Frances in the background

Creed- "Who, Where, When, What, and Why"

[ED NOTE: The 75th's creed comes from the chewing out one of their commanders once received from Khan Michaela Sutherland. When she spotted him sneaking back to barracks after a night of heavy partying around Port Frances, Khan Sutherland lambasted him for being "Off with God knows who, to God knows where, until God knows when, doing God knows what, and only God knows why! Get your ass to bed before I decide I want the answers to those questions too!"]

4th Alcor Grenadiers RCT- (R/E/F): The Storm From St. Paul

(CO: Colonel Marlene McCorkell)

Current Posting- Sarah's Hope

Insignia- The outline of Minnesota, with a Cameron Star located where the Terran city of St. Paul would be, silhouetted against a hurricane.

Creed- "In war there is no substitute for victory." [Douglas MacArthur]

11th Oliver Rapid Assault RCT- (R/E/F): The Red Devils

(CO: Colonel Sevan Brodeur)

Current Posting- Sarah's Hope

Insignia- A red number "11" in italics with streaks coming from the left side, and devil's horns sprouting from the top.

Creed- "Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight." [Sun Tzu]

212th Altair Striker RCT- (R/R/F): Unfriendly Confines 

(CO: Major General (ret.) Dane Suarez)

Current Posting- Sarah's Hope

[ED NOTE: Unofficial Training Cadre for McEvedy College of War]

Insignia- A small brown bear within the letter "C", on a field with six diagonal slashes, three on each side, similar to the Clan insignia. [ED NOTE: Rumored to be a historical insignia from old Terra. For some reason, former Khan Suarez always refers to his command as the "Cubbies."]

Creed- "Let's play two!" [ED NOTE: Again, nobody is particularly sure why Khan Suarez chose this particular expression for his training cadre, other than to display his cadets' willingness to fight as many battles as they must to win.]


	5. Episode 1: Nightmare's Return

Return of the Wolverines 

By Silver Eagle

Episode 1: Nightmare's Return 

"They have come

From beyond the deepest stars

For what, we know little, save this

That the Clans have returned

This, too, we know

We shall be

The instrument of their destruction."

-Wolverine Remembrance, Passage 167, Verse 1, Lines 1-7

February 27, 3049

Nadir Jump Point

Uncharted Star System MGC-103-8982

Rimward of the Caliban Nebula, Deep Periphery

          The little drone slumbered (as much as a machine can), continuing its dreary watch over an uninhabited star system. Occasionally, it sent a radar ping into the bleak expanse of space, seeking a reply or an unknown spacecraft. For a time, nothing answered.

          Things happened slowly for the processor-driven machine. As it observed, the fabric of space began to rend and tear, quantum forces ripped out of phase. In a flash, ships began appearing at the nadir jump point. Focusing on one at the head of the formation, the drone began to scan it with both visual and radar sensors.

          SCAN IFF CODE- RECOGNIZE = TRUE

          MATCH CODE = SOVETSKII SOYUZ

          MATCH ORIG IFF = SLS34212/KHARKOV

          SLDFSHIP = TRUE

          SCAN INSIGNIA/LOGO- ACQUIRE TARGET = TRUE

          MATCH LOGO- ACCESS DATABASE "INSIGNIA1"

          KCLAN = TRUE

          MATCH CLAN- ACCESS DATABASE "HELLSPAWN"

          MATCH DETECTED

          CLAN = WOLF

          SAVING ALL DATA

          SET SECURITY LEVEL = DEFCON1

          SETTING JUMP COORDINATES

          PREPARING TO TRANSMIT DATA

          JUMP

February 28, 3049

Commanding Officer's Quarters

Fort Hallis

Vigilance

Coreward of the Free Rasalhague Republic, Deep Periphery

          The Clan War began neither with a bang nor a whimper, but a thump and a muttered curse amidst warning klaxons.

          "Flipping overreacting dogbrained techs…" Vice Admiral Grace Cooper raised herself up from the floor, rubbing the back of her head. 

          Duty hitches on Vigilance were never easy. The Bouncing Betty surveillance drones Clan Wolverine had installed throughout the Deep Periphery were infamously sensitive. Only once before had the entire system gone off; that had been a partial success, heralding the arrival of Wolf's Dragoons in 3005. Most of the time, Hanseatic League or JarnFolk JumpShips would set off a single drone and put the entire recon base at Fort Hallis on edge for a few hours. Commanders of a unit assigned to Vigilance invariably became very light sleepers.

          Which kind of "emergency" it was she would have to find out at Recon Command. Pulling on the uniform of her unit, the First Wolverine Air Guards, she strapped on her gun belt and palmed open the door. Crisp night air rushed in, as well as a louder version of the alarm that had made her fall out of bed. Throwing open the door to the recon command chamber, Cooper caught sight of her executive officer, Commander Toru Kuwata.

          "For a bunch of screeching Betties you wake me out of a sound sleep? This better be good." The stocky _Hellcat_ pilot glanced over at the technicians frantically scurrying about behind him.

          "I got good news and bad news, bwana. Pick your poison."

          "Good news first. I need something to stop me from strangling these jittery bastards."

          "Well, we ain't getting Bouncing Betty alerts any more." 

          Grace blinked, nonplussed. "What did they do, shut down the whole sensor net by accident again?"

          "Betties shut themselves down." Toru Kuwata's face was ashen. "DEFCON1. Four separate Betties reported Clan WarShips jumping insystem, on their way toward the Inner Sphere. Chain self-detonations all along the sensor net, and we just got visual and radar data on every identified battle group so far. Techs are reading Clans Wolf, Jade Falcon, Ghost Bear and Smoke Jaguar as the strike force."

          She leaned against the wall. "Four Clans out of nineteen? Must have been more infighting than just us, then."

          "Does that really matter?"

          "I suppose not. We've got bigger things to worry about." Pushing away from the wall, she strolled over to the intercom mounted on the wall. Activating the code for a general broadcast, she began to recite the one message she'd dreaded giving since they'd arrived on Vigilance.

          "Air Guards, listen up. This is Admiral Cooper. We are at DEFCON1. I say again, DEFCON1. This is not a flipping drill. All hands prep for evacuation. Those assigned to Base Control, prepare to execute the Jinjiro Protocol. That is all." _And may God have mercy on our souls._

March 7, 3049

The Storm's Eye

Black Hills, Solaris City

Solaris VII

Tamarind March, Federated Commonwealth

          The lecture hall was quiet, almost deathly silent. For any room full of Wolverine warriors this was a rarity. For Haldane's Hurricanes, the self-labeled "baddest, rowdiest mercenaries in the Inner Sphere," it was a first. But the Hurricanes sat still as General Andrea Haldane stepped up to the podium, holding the HPG message that had precipitated this meeting of the entire unit.

          Heir to Cassandra Haldane, the "Scarlet Tornado," Andrea Haldane was one of the most feared soldiers in the Inner Sphere at 37, a legend among her peers. House Haldane's stewardship had built a ragtag group of Inner Sphere Wolverines and Star League Defense Force survivors from a struggling combined-arms regiment into the equivalent of an SLDF division over the course of two centuries. Based on that alone, her expression could not be ignored.

          "This is the biggest news any Hurricane commander has ever had to deliver. But I've never held anything back from you, and I ain't starting now.

          "Solaris Enclave received a Priority One message this morning. Fort Hallis on Vigilance confirms the Kerensky Clans have returned." The room exploded with incredulous shouts and nervous whispers as the rest of the Hurricanes absorbed the information.

          "In accordance with the Lazarus Protocol, we're packing up and heading home to prepare for war. Command circuits are already in place for the first leg to Goshen, in the Capellan March. Then it's just a few steps away from the Homeworlds. For Sphere-born Wolverines, I wish your homecoming was under better circumstances, but duty is duty."

          Memories and mention of the Wolverine Homeworlds failed to quiet the nervous buzz in the lecture hall. Slowly, one Hurricane officer rose from the front row and strolled up to the stage. Andrea Haldane glanced at her subordinate for a moment, finally yielding the podium, after a wordless conversation with Colonel Matthias Walker.

          Commander of the Hurricanes' Second Regiment, the Storm Chasers, Matthias Walker was the best they had. A descendant of former Khan Joel Walker, Matthias personified the Mustangs within the Clan- Blood Houses that had risen up from the "lower" castes to claim a place in the ranks of the great names in Wolverine history. Lanky, short brown hair shaved at the temples like most MechWarriors, he didn't present much of an imposing figure, but his presence on the battlefield spoke volumes.

          "That's enough!" Walker's shout quieted the room.

          "Listen to yourselves, all of you. When you chose to take up arms, you knew what we were getting into. For more than forty years we've known the Clans were coming back for certain. But since the Dragoons showed up, we've been content to just sit back and whale on them, never daring to think what might happen if their parents decided to join the party." Walker slammed his fist into the podium, a resounding crash echoing through the hall.

          "Uncertainty? Fear? A waste of your time!" He spread his arms wide and laughed, a short humorless bark. "Let them come! The Mission's upon us all, from the youngest child to the oldest retiree! Protect, defend and guard the Inner Sphere! The first who thinks to deny this shall answer to all of us. That is the Way. That is the Law." Wrenching the ceremonial sword from his belt, he raised it in the air.

          "The task is ours. WE SHALL NOT FAIL!"

          His comrades rose as one, brandishing their own weapons. "SO BE IT!"

          Matthias Walker only grinned. "Then what the hell are you waiting for? Let's go home."

March 12, 3049

Deck 3 Canteen

Star Lord-class JumpShip _Summer Squall_

Zenith Jump Point

Galatea

Skye March, Federated Commonwealth

          "You hungry for grub or your fifteen minutes of fame, Walker?" Matthias Walker raised his head and caught sight of a fair-haired Major weaving toward him through the lunch crowd.

          "Han, you'd have spouted the same bull if you'd been up there. Easiest way in the world to get ten regiments to shut up and take notice. You might have gotten bumped up a rank or two." Johan Engel and Matthias Walker had grown up together in the Homeworlds and served in the Fourth Deneb Light Cavalry. Their paths had diverged soon after the War of 3039, Matthias going to Haldane's Hurricanes, and Johan to a different Wolverine unit, Pike's Predators.

          "Bull or not, it's been making the rounds everywhere. You're making a name for yourself among the ladies with that swashbuckling stuff."

          "Keep it down!" Matthias hissed. "If Sprite hears that kind of stuff before I get a chance to explain, I'm a dead man."

          Colonel Aeron "Sprite" McKenna was not just the commander of the Second Wolverine Jaegers RCT. She was also Matthias Walker's fiancée, who had made it quite clear before her rotation back to the Homeworlds that her future husband had better keep his eyes and hands to himself while he remained in the Inner Sphere. Just as Matthias was descended from a Khan, Aeron was the great-granddaughter of Khan Matthew McKenna, first of the Snow Raven legacies to lead the Wolverines. Her skills- and temper - were not to be trifled with.

          Johan Engel's grin did not waver; he wasn't the one who had to worry about Aeron's temper. "Ah, forget Sprite for a minute. I just want to know if Minx is still in your Command Lance."

          Lieutenant Rejean Dumatrait lived up to the name she'd chosen, and then some. Statuesque, with red hair that she emphatically refused to cut short or stuff underneath her neurohelmet, she was as tough in the cockpit of her 'Mech as she was outside of it. Engel had met her in his early days at the War College of Goshen, and apparently had forgotten the experience. Matthias hadn't.

          "Rejean kicked the crap out of you the last time you made a pass at her, Han. Sure you want to do it again?"

          "It's been almost eleven years since then. I've matured. Learned the rules of the game. This'll be completely different."

          "Rejean hangs with Tornado Tommy and Big Ben. If anything, it'll be even worse. You even think about making a pass at Minx, you'll have to go through those two knuckleheads first."

          Major Jamal Benhadad wasn't just big. The dark-skinned half-Azami towered over every other Hurricane at over seven feet tall. A running joke among the Storm Chasers' techs was that Benhadad's CGR-AC3 _Savage Charger_ was actually a suit of personal exo-armor, rather than an 80-ton BattleMech. Certainly, it moved like an extension of its pilot, attacking with a ferocity that shocked those who knew Benhadad in a civilian capacity.

          Lieutenant Thomas Hesketh looked nothing like his nickname at first sight. Quiet and moody, he preferred to make himself known on the battlefield. Where Benhadad was an elite pilot, Hesketh was a crack shot with everything from a flamer to a Gauss rifle. Working together with his comrades, he made the Storm Chasers' Command Lance very nearly unstoppable.

          "I thought Big Ben was married. Why does he care?"

          "He _is_ married. But Benny and Rejean grew up together on Paradise, and he looks out for her. Tom Hesketh has a crush on her, even though he never does anything about it." Matthias shrugged. "Tell you what. I gotta meet with the rest of the Storm Chasers after lunch, to get the logistical stuff like TDS medications out of the way before we get to Goshen. Bring your best lance, and I'll take you on in a simulator battle. With Ben and Tom, the best way to get on their good side is to kick their butts."

*        *          *

Simulator Bay

Overlord-class DropShip _Trade Wind_

Zenith Jump Point

Galatea

Skye March, Federated Commonwealth

          "What do you mean it's not in the database?" The warrant officer in charge of the Storm Chasers' backup simulator pods held up a hand to ward off Tommy Hesketh.

          "Sir, your 'Mech is a custom model. We don't load configurations of custom, new-tech or Homeworld machines in our "public" simulators as a matter of security. You know how much the FedCom liaison officers love testing out these new reality pods."

          Hesketh ran a hand through his shaggy raven hair, turning to take in the rest of the Command Lance. "How do you expect me to kick Engel's ass without my 'Mech? Big Ben and Minx get to use theirs, even if they are flipping antique hulks."

          "That antique has saved your life more than once, Thomas. Rejean has found targets for you just as quickly in her 'hulk.' Is it our fault your mother decided to give you a BattleMech for your birthday?" Jamal Benhadad bounced the flat of his hand off the back of Hesketh's head, shutting his lancemate up. "Not all of us are blessed with a parent on Johnston Industries' Board of Directors. You will simply have to find a line BattleMech similar to your own."

          "Think of it this way, Tommy. Rank no longer hath its privileges. Han can't use his _Liquidator_. My upgraded _Black Knight_ is verboten. Besides, when you're in the Sphere, only battalion commanders and above have ever been able to use custom or new-tech machines. You and Minx have gotten around that rule so long you seem to have forgotten it." Matthias deftly stepped between his two feuding officers, and then glanced at the simulator technician. "What do you have, Chief?"

          "I can substitute an H5-series _Catapult II_ for the Captain; that should match his 'Mech's current loadout. As for replacing your _Black Knight_, you got a few choices. How about an 8C _Warhammer_, or the upgraded version of the _Flashman II_? There's even a new-model _Guillotine_; that's 5 tons lighter."

          "Just give me the _Flashman_, Chief. I can figure it out when we get started."

          "Let's roll." The origin of the Wolverines' battlecry had long ago been lost to history. All that could be found in the archives was that it had been the last known words of a Terran hero fighting back against impossible odds. To the exiled SLDF soldiers, that had been enough to recommend it.

*        *          *

          Data scrolled across the HUD as Matthias' simulator pod came alive. Throttling his _Flashman_ up to flank speed, he punched up a list of the combatants.

Attacker- Engel

Johan Engel, WHM-8C _Warhammer_

Jen Chang, LNC 25-01 _Lancelot_

Gabriel Winthrop, CRK-5003-1 _Crockett_

Marian Calder, CLN-6C _Ranger Chameleon_

Defender- Walker

Matthias Walker, FLS-9XB _Flashman II_

Jamal Benhadad, CGR-AC3 _Savage Charger_

Thomas Hesketh, CPLT-H5 _Catapult II_

Rejean Dumatrait, GRF-7CX _Griffin X_

          "All right, people, this is Renard. Choose your targets, and let's get this party started. I'll take the _Crockett_. Ben?"

          "Engel believes he is a crack shot like our Thomas. Let me see if he can do it with that heat factory he chose." Benhadad's amused rumble was punctuated by the din of his 'Mech's feet pounding along at over 80 kph.

          Tommy Hesketh's voice had curled itself into his usual battlefield snarl, easily audible over the electronic chatter. "Give me the _Lancelot_, then. Let's see if mobility can outmatch accuracy."

          "Minx here. Don't think you can just dismiss that flipping popgun _Chameleon_ and leave me out of it. Once I get done with it, I'm jumping into one of your fights. Benny, leave a piece of Engel for me. I want to shut him up for good this time."

          The onboard speakers crackled as a beam of manmade lightning flashed across the simulated forest clearing. "Get on a private channel before you consign me to the scrapheap!" The enemy _Lancelot_ flashed past for a brief instant, its PPC flashing out towards Hesketh's _Catapult_, burning a scorched gash across its stubby nose.

          "Hah! Jen's on a roll! So much for accuracy, windbag." Hesketh's 'Mech leaped forward on dual ion trails, as he ignited his jumpjets, and let loose with a flight of 15 LRMs, peppering the heavy enemy machine's arms and legs.

          "I know that voice! Jen Chang, you conniving hacker witch! You nearly got me washed out of the NAIS with that La Mancha mod!" The young gunslinger's voice broke up slightly as he passed the treeline, vanishing out of sight. In his own cockpit, Matthias rolled his eyes. _So much for military decorum_. House Chang was mostly known for tactical prowess and a total lack of respect for formality. Jen Chang was a sterling example; her skill with advance reconnaissance and electronic warfare was matched by the legacy of practical jokes she'd played on superior and fellow officers alike. It had gotten so out of hand at NAIS that mentioning her still sent hardened Wolverines scrambling for safety.

          "If you lead like you brag, you'd have matched Kai Allard. I gave him the green recruits and you the regular line troops, and you still got your ass kicked, _windbag_!"

          _Screw it. Tommy's a big boy. If he loses control, he's only got himself to blame._

          Rolling his eyes, Matthias turned his _Flashman_ around and roared towards the _Crockett's_ last known position. Benhadad and Dumatrait had already left, both jumping into the fray on their own, as they usually did. The Command Lance never stuck together unless the situation absolutely warranted it, such as shoring up a weak defensive line or taking out a big target. _Just the way I like it. Must be the Clanner in me._

*        *          *

          Jamal Benhadad grinned wolfishly, the smile spreading across his broad face, as he bore down on his target.

          "Your time is up, Engel! Do me a favor and die quickly!" He cut loose with everything he had, PPC and laser beams washing liberally over Engel's _Warhammer_. The heavy 'Mech staggered as more than two tons of armor melted off its chest and arms.

          Johan Engel let loose his _Warhammer's_ secret weapon- jump jets. "Not so flipping fast, Ben! You want heat for that berserker 'Mech? Take it!" Leaping behind the Azami's headlong rush, he unleashed a strike of his own. Twin PPCs framed his enemy's machine in a cage of azure flame, six Streak SRMs corkscrewing from the launcher on his right shoulder.

          Yellow coolant fluid bathed the _Savage Charger's_ back for a moment as one of the SRMs exploded a heat sink in its torso. Benhadad whipped around and bracketed the _Warhammer_ with both his extended range medium lasers. The sweat on his brow vanished, evaporating as the temperature within his cockpit soared. A faint thrum beneath him was all Big Ben needed to know that his 'Mech was ready for a finishing stroke.

          "Well done, Engel! But you should scout your opponents better before you fire at the wrong spot!" Roaring towards his opponent, he activated his own jump jets in a headlong leap, knocking the enemy 'Mech to the ground with a professional-quality shoulder block. The _Savage Charger's_ triple-strength myomer made all of its physical attacks stronger than normal; a fact many of his opponents had realized far too late to save themselves. Switching one of the HUDs to a schematic of the _Warhammer_, he found what he needed. Coring out a small section of the heavy 'Mech's center torso armor with his lasers, Benhadad punched downwards into the fallen machine's core, until he encountered resistance. Closing his 'Mech's fist around it, he pulled back, revealing the _Warhammer's_ gyroscope, now simply a mass of crushed, mangled metal.

          "Better than last time, but still not good enough. You will simply have to find another way to impress Rejean."

*        *          *

          She'd never liked thinking much in a fight. It wasn't that she was stupid. Minx had her moments. Serving in a lance with the rising star of Clan Wolverine took the pressure off her to come up with original ideas in combat. At the moment, she was regretting her laziness. Marian Calder had disappeared almost as soon as the battle had started, sniping from cover in her _Ranger Chameleon_. It was more annoying than effective, given the _Chameleon_'s lack of heavy weaponry and her own _Griffin X's_ jump jets. All the same, it was getting on Minx's nerves.

          Dialing up the gain on her active probe, she scanned the thick forest in front of her for the umpteenth time. A faint echo on the radar indicated the _Chameleon_'s last known position; hoisting herself aloft on her jump jets, Minx dashed off in the opposite direction. Calder's antics were finally settling into a pattern. The enemy pilot was circling about, trying to confuse her. _Obviously doesn't know me very well._

          Almost before Minx caught sight of the _Chameleon_'s pointy "ears" and round head, she was firing, leading the racing 'Mech for an open shot. Three medium pulse lasers reached out and opened steaming holes all over the _Chameleon_'s right arm and torso. Calder's luck held true as the _Griffin_'s PPC missed wide, blasting a nearby pine tree into ash.

          "Who's the prey and who's the predator now?" The _Chameleon_'s response was a blast from its twin ER large lasers, as it sped off into the distance. Both beams sped past the _Griffin_ as Minx jumped it out of the way, firing her own PPC. She gritted her teeth to suppress a frustrated scream, watching her opponent disappear behind another tree, letting it take the brunt of the attack.

          _Trees, eh…? It's a good thing this is only a simulation._ _Hey, wait._ Her active probe was practically screaming its head off at her, still tracking the _Chameleon_'s progress through the forest. Marian Calder wasn't much for subtlety anymore, mowing down the trees in her way.

          Her mouth curled upwards slowly, a gesture that could have quickened the pulse of Johan Engel, or scared the wits out of her commanding officer. _Pushing the obstacles aside, are we?_ _How about some help?_

          The _Griffin_ leapt forward with its typical agility, covering ground in a blur. Twisting about quickly, Minx swept fire from her pulse lasers across the scenery, a hail of ruby darts spitting forth from her 'Mech's broad chest.

          Marian Calder's 'Mech was faster than hers, but speed didn't help much when trees began falling across the _Chameleon_'s path. To her credit, Calder turned and faced her foe, realizing she'd been boxed in. The _Chameleon_ fired both its Streak missile packs, four SRMs impacting high on the _Griffin_'s arm-mounted armor baffles and cracking the ferro-fibrous plate.

          A deadly fog of ionized air lit the space between the two 'Mechs, red and green laser beams crisscrossing about, followed by an occasional particle beam. Neither escaped unscathed; angry red gashes traced an ugly scar across the melted metal and transpex of the _Chameleon_'s head and torso. The unhealthy white sheen of myomer showed from more than one chink in the _Griffin_'s arms and legs. Yellows and even a red light or two glowed on Minx's HUD, inducing a wince. _Not an even match, but if she keeps scoring with those lasers it will be. Got to find a way to disarm her…_

          The ground beneath the combatants was littered with craters, the product of over 100 tons of steel and electronics jumping here and there. _Now or never. Best finish this while I can still lend a hand somewhere else._ As she came down from a jump, Minx sent a thought via her neurohelmet, making the _Griffin_ flex its knees, as though to launch itself skyward again. The _Chameleon_ flinched aside, trying to gauge its opponent's next move. That instant of hesitation doomed Marian Calder. A PPC bolt plowed into the _Chameleon_'s head, blowing the canopy outwards in a spray of glass and flame. The 'Mech crashed to earth, its pilot incinerated.

          _Never piss me off in a simulator._ The legacy of House Dumatrait's female warriors was one of the few things Minx had felt like accepting from her mother when she'd left Paradise. Often overshadowed by their male relatives' scientific successes, even within the Wolverines, Dumatrait women were still feared by many as _Les Dames du Mort_, the Ladies of Death. That reputation had brought her to Matthias Walker's attention, and into the Storm Chasers. She normally couldn't indulge her inborn bloodlust in most real-life battles, but simulator practice was another story, as fellow Storm Chasers had learned to their chagrin. There was something to be said about the reality pods being a little _too_ realistic.

          _Watch out, Engel. This is one day that Death _won't _be taking a holiday…_

*        *          *

          Incoherent rage wasn't something you could usually associate with Tommy Hesketh. Sulking, and maybe the occasional tantrum, yes. But never blind fury; he usually left that up to Big Ben. Yet it was his voice Hesketh heard dimly, screaming curses over the radio at Jen Chang.

          She didn't understand anything about him. Not many did; perhaps only Colonel Walker knew anything about Tom Hesketh's inner demons, the emotional and physical torment he and his mother had borne to keep the Wolverine secrets from being divulged by his non-Wolverine father. _Money didn't mean much to Dad, but having two people completely under his thumb? That bastard enjoyed it._ Or at least he had, until an off-duty member of the Ministry of Medicine overheard him blackmailing his family when Tommy was 10. Roger Hesketh's body was found mangled and burnt in the ruins of his hovercar, at the base of a seaside cliff the next morning. MoM took its job of ensuring Wolverine children's safety _very_ seriously.

          After that, he'd been free to do what he wanted. Tommy shied away from Wolverine society, resentfully keeping the secrets he'd paid for. Jen Chang wasn't entirely to blame for his near-washout at NAIS; half the time he'd been mired in a jazz bar in Avalon City or an arcade, farting about on a 'Mech simulator. It was easier to forget your troubles when you threw all caution to the wind, caring little for the consequences. His gunnery skills hadn't suffered any for the practice, to which he credited his NAIS degree.

          Gunnery wouldn't save him from the Clans if they caught up to him. Tommy had been on edge ever since the announcement on Solaris; Jen's needling wasn't helping. _How do you tell the guys that watch your back you don't have the guts to stand on the firing line with them? _It just wasn't done. So here he was taking out his frustrations on the nearest target instead. The rage was a problem. His few missile volleys had fallen short, and he preferred not to waste Gauss shots, especially when he wasn't in control of where he was shooting. That left endless, boring rounds of exchanging laser fire with the _Lancelot_. He'd hit more trees than 'Mech armor, while dodging Jen Chang's heavier energy weapons. If she weren't so annoying, he might actually have appreciated her skills.

          There would be no mutual appreciation. _Only victory or defeat._ At this point Tommy didn't really care which one would happen to him. Jumping sideways, he spread fire from his lasers across the clearing into the stand of trees where the _Lancelot_ lurked. After dashing off to the northwest he swiveled the _Catapult's _torso about. The recon pilot was only now beginning to track his movement, turning to spit the _Catapult_ on the point of a PPC.

          "Laugh at this!" Nothing felt better after a frustrating battle than hearing (and feeling) the enormous recoil of a Gauss rifle. The Gauss slug cored into the _Lancelot's_ right torso, accompanied by a burst of azure energy spewing forth as its PPC exploded. The _Lancelot_ fired an instant later with its remaining weapons, targeting his one weak spot. Tommy's head rang as it bounced off the command couch; the pod rocked from side to side under the force of an ammunition explosion.

          Without the special equipment most 'Mechs carried to restrain the force of such explosions, the _Catapult_ staggered, warning klaxons sounding a deafening dirge in his ears. Red lights were liberally painted over the 'Mech's left arm and torso to signify the loss of nearly half his weaponry. Cursing even louder, Tommy wrenched his machine straight and cut loose with his remaining lasers and Gauss rifle. Little tongues of golden flame greeted him as the Gauss slug cored into the PPC's former location and through part of the _Lancelot_'s engine shielding.

          His brief moment of celebration came too soon. Jen Chang speared him with her large laser again, smoke pouring out of the new rents in the _Catapult_'s armor. _Just not my day._ Tying all his weapons into one interlock circuit, he thumbed up the protective cover on his eject button. Tommy pushed the footpedals underneath him and urged the _Catapult_ into the air one last time on unsteady verniers. _Lower the boom!_

          Tommy's last salvo staggered the _Lancelot_ long enough to lock his trajectory in on its upper torso. As his dying 'Mech descended from the sky, he thumbed the eject button. _And we leave the rest to chance._

          Grudging admiration was his last impulse before the simulator pod lights died around him. Out of the corner of his eye, he'd seen a similar command couch launching from the _Lancelot_'s head. _Ties suck, but they're better than having to listen to her crow about a win._

          His misgivings would not be as easy to deal with.

*        *          *

          Adrenaline was the ultimate drug, no matter what the old MoM posters had said when he was a kid. That was Matthias Walker's belief. Watching tracers and lasers flying past his viewscreen brought him a singular thrill that few things, other than Aeron McKenna, could match.

          At the moment those tracer rounds and energy beams were coming from the _Crockett_, popping up every now and then behind a cliff face near the forest. _Not the chivalrous type. Good for him; we try that against the Clans and we're toast. Me? I don't think so_.

          The _Flashman_ was far faster, and could jump further, as it was currently doing. Unable to shoot down the flying target, the _Crockett_ contented itself with retreating and firing its autocannons at him again. Flakes of armor crumbled off his 'Mech's torso, the LB-X cluster ammunition spreading out like a shotgun blast. _Flesh wound. If he had the balls for it he'd have DFA'ed me with that weight advantage_.

          Feeling a little sadistic, Matthias trained his weapons on one of the _Crockett_'s arms. The _Flashman_'s sophisticated targeting computer, added to his long years of experience, let him place his shots pretty much anywhere he wanted. Walking fire from his pulse lasers up one arm and down the next, he neutralized one autocannon, then the next. Real fights rarely gave him the chance to take apart his enemies like this.

          Methodical destruction fit his mood today. Matthias contemplated a lot of things during battle; action helped his thought processes more than anything else. What weighed on his mind now was something that had confounded the Wolverines since the beginning- the "public face" of the Clan. _Or the lack of a public face._

          Two hundred years had been kind to them. Hideyoshi Matsuda's expertise, and the backing of Kieran Winthrop, had given their Central Intelligence Department the financial and social support to expand throughout the Inner Sphere. CID agents had spread into every major House intelligence agency, from the DMI to the LIC, ISF, SAFE, the Maskirovka and even the dreaded ROM. Any time a House had become suspicious about new mercenary units or interstellar corporations, the CID had squelched the investigation- as well as the people behind it- immediately. Nothing escaped their attention, from Star League caches being discovered, to the perfidy of a certain March Lord Hasek on Verlo. Clinton's Cutthroats had never been seen again in the Inner Sphere, but their descendants had returned 20 years later with nobody the wiser.

          Things were totally different now. Mercenaries they were, but the Hurricanes could not simply go and defend worlds under attack without signing a contract with the House that owned them. Homeworld units had never even been to the Inner Sphere; the 'Mechs and technology they used were far superior to anything Spheroid Wolverines had ever been issued. The mere sight of one of their 'Mechs in battle would make anyone suspicious.

          Outing the Wolverines would be like painting a gigantic "Kill Me" on each of their foreheads; Matthias and his friends had no illusions about the Annihilation being forgotten. Few enough realized that now, or cared. By 3000, with few enemies that could not be dealt with, the Wolverines had, almost inevitably, turned on each other. Within a decade factions had become entrenched in the fabric of their society, for better or worse.

          House Hallis had led the last stand on Circe, impetuous to the last. Their current leader, Edele Hallis, was now Khan, something many had quietly expressed misgivings about in private. Her allies, the self-professed Avengers, firmly believed in taking the fight to the Clans and destroying them utterly, perhaps even returning to the Kerensky Cluster to finish the job. Avenger rhetoric tolerated the veil of secrecy, but it was grudging at best.

          Ever the outsiders, Raven-descended House McKenna had led many of the other Wolverines in proclaiming themselves Guardians. Their mission was much like the one their SLDF forefathers had embraced- to protect the Inner Sphere from threats both internal and external. The Clans would be fought if they arrived, but otherwise Guardians preferred to concentrate on their Inner Sphere charges. Secrecy contributed to their success, and the CID was firmly behind them in that regard.

          Many in the Homeworlds no longer cared to think about either the Clans or the Inner Sphere, safe in their distance from Kerensky's children. These Isolationists simply concerned themselves with protecting the Clan from Periphery dangers or going about their lives in peace.

          Many families simply refused to take sides, feeling that it demeaned the Clan. Others doled out political favors to any side that asked, trading in a unique form of capital. Whatever their reasons, they remained officially Neutral. That was all anybody really cared to know these days. The fact that House McEvedy, the Founder's House, remained steadfastly Neutral after over two centuries, was enough to convince many to give up on politics altogether. 

          Not so for one McEvedy, however. Newly appointed head of her House, 22-year-old Tristan McEvedy had picked up the nickname "Retro Girl" for her exhaustive research into old Clan customs and tactics. Critics all over the Clan had howled in protest when she went into the woods of the Homeworld capital, Sarah's Hope, hunted down a wolverine, and came back wearing its pelt as a cape, dredging up long-buried memories of the final Clan Council meeting her ancestor had attended on Strana Mechty. Ever since, Tristan had made it clear that her first action at the front lines would be to challenge any Clanner to a Trial of Grievance, and continue from there. The Guardians, and even many of the Neutrals, had not been pleased. But just as the storm of criticism reached its peak, it stopped as quickly as it had begun. The word of a Khan will do that. Edele Hallis' support of her protégé reduced the criticism to a silent, sullen buzz, but the tension was still there, simmering beneath the surface.

          That, and more, faced the Spheroid Wolverines as they made their way back to their supposed home. _May as well practice fighting now, people, because the way things are going we might just have a war before the war._ Matthias Walker could only hope otherwise.

NOTES: We begin with a look at the 4 factions that make up Wolverine politics…

_Political Alliances_:

Avengers (12): Hallis, Pike, Taniguchi, Sutherland, Kuwata, DeSouza, Takayama, Zhukov, Brandon, Haldane, Figaro, Draskovic 

Guardians (14): McKenna, Walker, Cooper, McCorkell, Engel, Eisen, Fife, Chang, Dumatrait, Gunnarson, Sukhanov, Victorine, Matsuda, MacAndrew

Isolationists (6): Rogers, Mulroney, Calder, Liu, Tetarenko, Applegate

Neutral (9): McEvedy, Brodeur, Winthrop, Aiken, Suarez, Chen, Schneider, Gaffney, Gagné

Bonus time! For anyone's who curious about the new designs you saw…

**CGR-AC3 _Savage Charger_**

Tech Base: Inner Sphere (Level 2)   
Mech Type: Biped   
Tonnage: 80  
Battle Value: 1,775

Equipment Mass   
Internal Structure: Standard w/Triple Strength Myomer 8 

(TSM Crits: 2 LA, 1 LT, 1 RT, 2 RA)  
Engine: 400 XL 26.5   
Walking MP: 5   
Running MP: 8   
Jumping MP: 4   
Heat Sinks: 15(30) 5 tons  
Gyro: 4  
Cockpit: 3 

Targeting: Standard 0

Armor Factor: Ferro-Fibrous 247 14

(FF Loc: 2 LA, 3 LT, 3 RT, 2 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL)   
Actuators: L: Sh+UA+LA+H, R: Sh+UA+LA+H

Internal Armor   
Structure Value   
Head 3 9   
Center Torso 25 38   
Center Torso(rear) 12   
R/L Torso 17 26   
R/L Torso(rear) 8   
R/L Arm 13 26   
R/L Leg 17 34

Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage   
Guardian ECM Suite CT 2 1.5   
ER PPC LA 3 7

ER Medium Laser LT 1 1

ER Large Laser RA 2 5

ER Medium Laser RT 1 1

Jump Jet LT 1 1   
Jump Jet LT 1 1   
Jump Jet RT 1 1   
Jump Jet RT 1 1

**CPLT-H5 _Catapult II_**

Tech Base: Inner Sphere (Level 2)   
Mech Type: Biped   
Tonnage: 65  
Battle Value: 1,762

Equipment Mass   
Internal Structure: Endo Steel 3.5 

(ES Loc: 5 LA, 3 LT, 2 CT, 3 RA)  
Engine: 260 XL 7   
Walking MP: 4   
Running MP: 6   
Jumping MP: 4   
Heat Sinks: 12(24) 2 tons  
Gyro: 3  
Cockpit: 3 

Armor Factor: Standard 211 13.5

Actuators: L: Sh+UA, R: Sh+UA

Internal Armor   
Structure Value   
Head 3 9   
Center Torso 21 32   
Center Torso(rear) 10   
R/L Torso 15 23   
R/L Torso(rear) 7   
R/L Arm 10 20   
R/L Leg 15 30

Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage   
ER Medium Laser LA 1 1

ER Medium Laser LA 1 1

LRM 15 LT 3 7

LRM 15 Ammo (8) LT 1 1

ER Medium Laser RA 1 1

ER Medium Laser RA 1 1

Gauss Rifle RT 7 15

Gauss Rifle Ammo (16) RT 2 2

Jump Jet LL 1 1   
Jump Jet LL 1 1   
Jump Jet RL 1 1   
Jump Jet RL 1 1

**GRF-7CX _Griffin X _**

Tech Base: Inner Sphere (Level 3)   
Mech Type: Biped   
Tonnage: 55  
Battle Value: 1,708

Equipment Mass   
Internal Structure: Standard 5.5 

Engine: 275 XL 8   
Walking MP: 5   
Running MP: 8   
Jumping MP: 5   
Heat Sinks: 14(28) 4 tons  
Gyro: 3  
Cockpit: 3 

Targeting: Variable-Range 0.5

Armor Factor: Ferro-Fibrous 185 10.5

Actuators: L: Sh+UA+LA+H, R: Sh+UA+LA+H

Internal Armor   
Structure Value   
Head 3 9   
Center Torso 18 27   
Center Torso(rear) 9   
R/L Torso 13 20   
R/L Torso(rear) 6   
R/L Arm 9 18   
R/L Leg 13 26

Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage   
Medium X-Pulse Laser LA 1 2

Medium X-Pulse Laser LA 1 2

Bloodhound Active Probe LT 3 2

Medium X-Pulse Laser LT 1 2

ER PPC RA 3 7

Angel ECM Suite 2 2

Jump Jet LL 1 0.5   
Jump Jet LL 1 0.5   
Jump Jet RL 1 0.5   
Jump Jet RL 1 0.5

Jump Jet CT 1 0.5

**LQD-TR1 _Liquidator_ (Major Johan "Han" Engel's Normal 'Mech)**

Tech Base: Clan (Level 3)   
Mech Type: Biped   
Tonnage: 60  
Battle Value: 2,046

Equipment Mass   
Internal Structure: Endo Steel 3 

(ES Crits: 1 LA, 2 LT, 2 RT, 1 CT, 1 RA)

Engine: 240 XL 6   
Walking MP: 4  
Running MP: 6   
Jumping MP: 0   
Heat Sinks: 11(22) 1 ton  
Gyro: 3  
Cockpit: 3 

Targeting: Standard 0

Armor Factor: Ferro-Fibrous 201 10.5

(FF Crits: 1 LA, 1 LT, 1 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL)

Actuators: L: Sh+UA+LA+H, R: Sh+UA+LA+H

Internal Armor   
Structure Value   
Head 3 9   
Center Torso 20 30   
Center Torso(rear) 10   
R/L Torso 14 21   
R/L Torso(rear) 7   
R/L Arm 10 20   
R/L Leg 14 28

Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage   
ER Medium Laser H 1 1

Gauss Rifle LA 6 12

ER Medium Laser LT 1 1

ER Medium Laser LT 1 1

Gauss Rifle Ammo (16) LT 2 2

Gauss Rifle RA 6 12

Angel ECM Suite RT 2 1.5

ER Medium Laser RT 1 1

Gauss Rifle Ammo (16) RT 2 2 

**CLN-6C _Ranger Chameleon_**

Tech Base: Inner Sphere (Level 2)   
Mech Type: Biped   
Tonnage: 50  
Battle Value: 1,404

Equipment Mass   
Internal Structure: Endo Steel w/Triple Strength Myomer 2.5 

(ES Crits: 3 LA, 4 LT, 4 RT, 2 CT, 2 RA)

(TSM Crits: 2 LT, 2 RT, 2 RA)

Engine: 300 XL 9.5   
Walking MP: 6  
Running MP: 9   
Jumping MP: 6   
Heat Sinks: 13(26) 3 tons  
Gyro: 3  
Cockpit: 3 

Targeting: Standard 0

Armor Factor: Standard 169 11

Actuators: L: Sh+UA+LA+H, R: Sh+UA+LA+H

Internal Armor   
Structure Value   
Head 3 9   
Center Torso 16 24   
Center Torso(rear) 8   
R/L Torso 12 18   
R/L Torso(rear) 6   
R/L Arm 8 16   
R/L Leg 12 24

Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage   
ER Large Laser LA 2 5

ER Large Laser RA 2 5

Streak SRM 2 LT 1 1.5

Streak SRM 2 Ammo (50) LT 1 1

Streak SRM 2 RT 1 1.5

Streak SRM 2 Ammo (50) RT 1 1

Jump Jet LT 1 0.5   
Jump Jet RT 1 0.5   
Jump Jet LL 1 0.5   
Jump Jet LL 1 0.5

Jump Jet RL 1 0.5

Jump Jet RL 1 0.5

**FLS-9XB _Flashman II_**

Tech Base: Inner Sphere (Level 3)   
Mech Type: Biped   
Tonnage: 75  
Battle Value: 1,781

Equipment Mass   
Internal Structure: EndoSteel w/Triple Strength Myomer 4

(ES Crits: 3 LA, 2 LT, 2 RT, 3 RA, 2 LL, 2 RL) 

(TSM Crits: 1 LA, 1 H, 1 CT, 1 RT, 2 RA)

Engine: 375 XL 19.5   
Walking MP: 5   
Running MP: 8   
Jumping MP: 5   
Heat Sinks: 15(30) 5 tons  
Gyro: 4  
Cockpit: 3 

Targeting: Targeting Computer 4

Armor Factor: Standard 231 14.5

Actuators: L: Sh+UA+LA, R: Sh+UA+LA

Internal Armor   
Structure Value   
Head 3 9   
Center Torso 23 35   
Center Torso(rear) 11   
R/L Torso 16 24   
R/L Torso(rear) 8   
R/L Arm 12 24   
R/L Leg 16 32

Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage   
Large X-Pulse Laser LA 2 7

Large X-Pulse Laser RA 2 7

ER Medium Laser LT 1 1

ER Medium Laser RT 1 1

Targeting Computer LT 4 4

Jump Jet LT 1 1   
Jump Jet LT 1 1   
Jump Jet RT 1 1   
Jump Jet RT 1 1

Jump Jet CT 1 1


End file.
